Monster Blood
by Tealya
Summary: Don't you just hate it when your responsibilities run away from you?
1. A Missing Headband

Oh, wow, I've got your attention. Ok, here it is, my first slayers fic. This is kind of a prologue to something I've been working on for a while. It take place two years after try and would take too much time to explain the story here. This ***** means a change in scene, ~*~*~ is a change in perspective, and italic is thought, just so you know. Enough chit chat. Let's get to the fic.  
  
Oh! Almost forgot. I don't own these characters, 'cept one and I think you can guess who the little cutie is. This is all for fun and nothing more. On with the story.  
  
  
  
Chapter 1 - The Missing Headband  
  
The water was perfect. It wasn't cold at all. Her tiny hand dipped fully in, making sure it didn't get hotter below the surface. It didn't. It was just right all the way through. Who ever had been here before must have heated it with a spell, the girl guessed. The water from the stream that connected to it was ice cold, so it had to have been magic. It wouldn't be warm for long, so if she wanted a warm bath, she had to take it now. It was kind of late in the afternoon, but it had been sooo long since she had had a warm bath that her body ached for it. She slipped off her small leather boots and ran one foot through it. Goose bumps ran up her leg from the temperature difference in the water from the air outside. The child grinned from ear to tiny ear. She stripped off the rest of her clothes and slipped in slowly, letting her body get use to the heat. Once fully in, she found a rock to sit on the let her rest comfortably with the water lapping slightly under her chin. She sighed and leaned her head against the side of in pool. Something soft tangled in with her long locks of hair. She pulled one pudgy arm out of the water, grabbed hold of the item, and examined it. It was a black strip of cloth...a belt or a headband of some sort...  
  
*****  
  
"Oh, where is it!?" Lina cried as she rummaged through her things again.  
  
Gourry peered up from the sword he was polishing and watched her. "Where's what?" he asked.  
  
"My headband!" The red head turned from her own things to his, praying it might be there. They often mixed up there things by accident when ever they stayed at an inn. She ripped everything out, making a terrible mess. Gourry sighed. And after I just got it all cleaned up, he thought. He may not have been what you'd call the brightest candle in the shop, but even he knew better then to interfere the small woman when she was looking for something. Acutely, know that he thought about it, it usually wasn't a good idea to interfere with anything she did; it was painful. She could explode with surprising power at any moment, despite how innocent she may have looked. He had learned that lesson all too well. She let out an exasperated cry before getting up and going in to the bathroom and searching through all the drawers. "Where is it!?" she yelled as she pulled open a small cabinet and knocked everything out of it.  
  
"I hope they don't charge us for the mess you're making," the tall blonde sighed to himself as he went back to polishing his sword. It wasn't his sword of light, but he supposed it worked fine. He missed his old sword though.  
  
"What was that?!" Lina barked.  
  
"Huh? What? Oh,...nothing," he lied and smiled. She just glared at him from the bathroom doorway, then disappeared back inside.  
  
The swordsman could hear other things being knocked down, victims of her rantic search. He paused, thinking about where the missing headband might be, but nothing came to mind. "Hey Lina."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Have you looked through your back pack?"  
  
The small woman appeared at the doorway again. There was a sour look on her face. He knew that look. He began to look frantically for a place to duck behind if she decided to throw a fireball but there was only the bed and he knew she would have no trouble getting him through there.  
  
"Of course I looked through my back pack!" she snapped through grated teeth. "Do you think I'd be looking in here if I hadn't!"  
  
Gourry shrank back. "I don't know," he replied fearfully. Her anger only seemed to get worse. She was going to burn him. He knew it. He closed his eyes, waiting for the inevitable... ... ... He felt a small punch in his arm.  
  
"Course you don't know. Got too much air flowing through here." She knocked the top of his head, a evil smile on her face. She dropped to the ground next to him with a bitter sigh. "Where'd I put it?" the sorceress asked no one in particular.  
  
"Well, where'd you last have it on?"  
  
Her red eyes peered up at him as she thought back. The last time she'd had it on... ... the last time... ... "Yesterday morning... I put it on and went to the stream... Oh no! I left it at the stream!" she cried.  
  
"The stream..."  
  
"There was a small pool connected to it so I heated it up and took a bath and I must have forgotten it... Someone's probably taken it by now." Gloom covered her face.  
  
His heart sank along with hers. He hated seeing her like that. It always made him feel the same way she looked. "Can't you just buy a new one?"  
  
She nodded. "Yeah, but I liked that one. It was already broken in and spelled too."  
  
"Oh," was the only reply he could think of. She took a deep breath and leaned up against Gourry's legs. "Suppose I should clean that up," he suggested as he looked at the mess in the room.  
  
"No, I'll get it," she breathed out.  
  
*****  
  
Lina walked half heatedly through the street with Gourry close behind. Her keen eyes kept a watch out for a decent clothing shop but there weren't any more. They had been to one, apparently the only one in town, but she hadn't seen anything she liked. The town was small, but she had hoped there might have been at least one other shop. She could see the edge of town. Nothing. Not one more.  
  
There was a shrill cry from just behind them. In a split second, Gourry had pulled out his blade. She was already prepared to cast a spell. The source of the cry wasn't hard to find. People had backed away from a small open air shop selling fruit. The shop owner held the hand of a squirming girl. Around the girls forehead was a black band...My headband! Lina's mind raced and she got closer to the scene. She's got my headband! The little rat!  
  
~*~*~  
  
"Let me go!" the girl cried. She didn't look to be too old to any who saw her. Her turquoise dress was faded and worn, not to mention a bit too small for her. Her shoes had holes in them where her bare toes stood out. She was clean, however dirty her clothes may have looked. Her skin was very fair, like a that of a porcelain doll, with slightly rose colored cheeks. Strands of thick black hair waved about her face as she desperately tried to jerk free of the man. Her violet colored eyes searched the crowd for someone  
  
who might help, but no one seemed to want to interfere.  
  
The shop owner chuckled as he reached for something at his hip. "Not so fast, thief! You don't think I'm going to let you get away with trying to steal from me, now do you!" He pulled a small dagger out. "Do you know what the punishment for thievery is?!"  
  
She screeched again as the knife went slicing down. Metal sliced against metal. Her eyes stared in awe and horror. A second dagger had stopped his.  
  
"Now, now, let's not be too hasty," the new person stated. She looked up at a young woman dressed in a strange rose, white, and yellow getup and a long black cape. A sorceress, no doubt, the child thought. She had long red hair and piercing red eyes. She wasn't great in size, rather small compared to the girl captor, but she obviously made up for it in other ways. she was holding back to man's dagger, and for the moment, that was enough for her.  
  
"Move!" the man snapped. Her violet eyes flicked back to him. The shop owner looked angry. The girl shrank back, wishing she could just disappear in to nothingness and slip away.  
  
"Why, so you can cut her hand off?" the sorceress demanded.  
  
"Yes!" the man barked back.  
  
The woman rolled her eyes. "Don't you think that's just a bit harsh for a kid?" A gloved white hand gripped the girl's shoulder.  
  
"A thief is a thief! If she didn't wanna lose that pretty little hand, she shouldn't have tried to steal from me! Now move, or I'll take your hand too!" There was movement behind her. Out of the corner of her eye, the girl spotted a tall, blond man. A sword was held was in one of his burly gloved hands. He really didn't look happy. The shop owner's hand loosened on her wrist until she could pull it free. She made a quick check, rubbing her wrist with her other hand to make sure it was alright. "Uh, p-perhaps yer r- right," the shop owner studdered. "I th-think she's lear-learned her lesson. Good day, good day." He put his hands up defensively and smiled nervously.  
  
"Glad ta see we understand each other," the woman replied confidently. The hand on the child's shoulder gripped tighter and she was suddenly dragged along with the sorceress and the tall blond with the sword. She was yanked into a small alleyway just off the main street before the woman let go. "Well that was a dumb thing to do!" she snapped. The girl rubbed her shoulder. "That little  
  
stunt just nearly cost you your hand, kid."  
  
"I know," the girl replied sheepishly. "Most people cut the hands off of thrives in this area."  
  
"If you knew he'd do that, then why'd you do it anyway?" the blond asked. She looked over at him. The oversized man had kneeled down closer to her won level, though he was still a great deal bigger then her. When fully standing, she just barely stood above his knee.  
  
She shrugged. "Gotta eat, don't ya? Didn't have any money, so I just tried to take it..."  
  
"And he caught you," the woman sneered. The child looked down at her worn shoes and nodded. Her left big toes stood out of the shoe. "Maybe you should learn to be a better thief before you go trying that again. Now gimme that headband!"  
  
Caught off guard, the girl jumped back. One hand instantly reached for the band around her head. It was still there, just where she had tied it after her bath earlier that afternoon. She felt a sudden rush of outrage go through her small body. She'd found it first. "No! It's mine! You can't have it!"  
  
"Correction, it's mine, and I'd like it back. Now give it here!" The woman dove to grab the girl but she was much to quick. She leaped between the woman's legs and slipped right under her cape only to be grabbed by the blond. She squirmed and tried to kick him, but he held her at a safe distance so her stubby little legs couldn't reach him. The woman got up, frustration brewing off of her like fire on a torch, and she came over to glare at the girl.  
  
"I didn't ask you to save me! I don't owe you anything!"  
  
"We never said you did," the man said honestly. "That just happens to belong to Lina."  
  
"Then she shouldn't have left it for anyone to take. Finders keepers," the child argued.  
  
"So, what, you don't ever forget anything?" the woman, Lina he had called her, demanded. The girl shook her head. "Oh, co'mon. I'm sure you've left something out and one of your brothers or sisters took it."  
  
"Don't have any brothers or sisters," the girl replied in a calm voice.  
  
"You never forgot something at a friends or left it outside or anything?"  
  
She just shook her head to all of the questions. "Don't have anything to forget. Don't own anything but the clothes on my back."  
  
Lina looked her up and down, exhuming the girl's clothes. She did look rather ragged. "Your parents must really not like you much, if they let you run around dressed like that."  
  
The girl looked back down at the ground. "There not here," she sighed.  
  
~*~*~  
  
No parents explained a lot. Maybe a runaway, she pondered. Alright, time to try a different approached. "Alright, look. How 'bout you give me my headband and we'll buy you lunch. All you can eat. Sound fair."  
  
The girl thought about it. "Alright, but I keep it 'till after we eat."  
  
Lina smiled. "Deal." She reached out and took the girl from Gourry. Now that she actually held the girl, she realized how thin and bony she was. Poor kid, she thought. "So, what's your name, anyway?"  
  
"Xaina," the girl smiled. She had to admit, the kid was kinda cute.  
  
"I'm Gourry," the blond stated proudly.  
  
"Swordsman and a sorceress, right?"  
  
"How'd you guess?" Gourry asked. He'd been honest in his confusion.  
  
"Wasn't hard," the girl replied.  
  
"For anyone who's got more then half a brain," Lina retorted as she carried the girl out of the alley, looking for the place  
  
they'd eaten last night. They'd had the best spaghetti there.  
  
Xaina twisted her face in confusion. "What'd ya mean by that?"  
  
"Don't worry 'bout it," Lina sighed. "It's not important. Right now, you should be thinking about what you want to eat." 


	2. Can't We Keep Her?

(Here is the second chapter of Monster Blood)  
  
Chapter 2 - Can't We Keep Her?  
  
Oh, so here's where she had disappeared to, he thought as he watched her stuff food into her face. Her rose cheeks puffed out. She was the picture of innocents. All children look innocent, he reminded himself. They are innocent. They can't be anything but that... His thoughts trailed off as he felt a pair of eyes burrow into his back. Someone was watching him, seeing right through him. His deep plum colored eyes flickered around the room. Humans, all of them. None seemed to see him. He was still invisible to them. Then where was his watcher. Surely none of his people would be foolish enough to attack the destroyer of Phibrezo and Darkstar. No, they had more sense then that, and none of them knew where the she was anyway. A sense of nervousness washed over him, followed by a nagging in the back of his mind. His master would be angry if he didn't show when he was suppose to. He growled to himself before wisping to his master's call.  
  
~*~*~  
  
A pair of forks clashed as they both tried to stag the last meatball on the plate. Lina and Gourry glared at each other, each determined to have it. They stared, daring the other to just try and snag it.  
  
"It's mine!" Gourry growled.  
  
"I'm hungrier!" Lined growled back.  
  
"I'm bigger!"  
  
"I'm smarter! And if you were a true gentlemen, you'd let a lady have the last one!"  
  
"What lady!? I don't see any lady!"  
  
A third fork slipped in between their's and stole the meat in question, lopping it in her mouth. "Mmmmhmm, they're good," Xaina smiled. The black headband was still tied around her head. Both adult's eyes fixed on her. Gourry scooted back, fearful of the punishment the child would most likely get for taking the food. Instead, Lina just smiled sweetly. He was confused, not that that was something new to him. She would have hit him at least if he'd been the one to do that. Lina often confused him. Just when he thought he had her right, she always did something strange like this.  
  
"You like 'um?" the red head asked, not hiding her amusement in the girl's delight. The girl nodded fervently. "Think we should get  
  
more?" The girl continued to nod. Lina giggled. She liked the way this kid thought. "Waiter! Another plate of meatballs!" The  
  
frazzled waiter scrambled over and then dashed off into the kitchen.  
  
"Really makin' him work for that payment, huh?"  
  
"Isn't he suppose to work before he's paid?" Gourry asked. He kept one eye on Lina, still unsure why she hadn't ripped the girl apart like she would have done to anyone else.  
  
"Yeah, I guess so, but he does seem to be upset by how much we're eating...well, more like you're eating. Anyone ever tell you that you two eat more then horses."  
  
"Sometimes." Gourry shrugged. "Filia use to say stuff like that all the time."  
  
"Filia? Who's that?"  
  
"An old friend of ours," Lina answered. "We're on our way to see her, actually. Val's second birthday...Val's her adopted son."  
  
"She live faraway?"  
  
"Yes and no. Depends on where you are...Ah!" She cut off as a plate of meatballs was set on the table. For a moment, Gourry and Lina stared at the food, admiring it as their mouths watered. Xaina swiped out a piece before the two adults dove into the plate, devouring all of them before the girl had even gotten the chance to finish the only one she got. To be honest, Xaina had to admit she was surprised they had not eaten the plates. Both of them leaned back in their seats, satisfied with their meal. "Now that was good." Two small hands grabbed at Lina's a put something in her gloved palm. She looked down to the see the headband.  
  
"You kept your end of the bargain, so I'll keep mine," Xaina smiled. "It clashed with my dress, anyway." The girl slipped off her chair and started to head towards the door.  
  
Lina suddenly reached out and grabbed the child's hand, pulling the girl back towards her a bit. She had no idea what possessed her to do so. Her body just acted on it's own. "Ah, come on. You're not leaving already, are you?"  
  
Xaina shrugged. "Hadn't planned on staying." Lina took full hold on the girl and pulled her up on her lap. Xaina didn't protest.  
  
"We haven't even had desert yet."  
  
"You're still hungry?" The girl felt all the energy suddenly drain from her body. Her hands rubbed over her plump little tummy.  
  
"I couldn't eat another bite. I feel like I'm ganna explode as it is."  
  
"We're getting desert?" Gourry asked from across the table. His face was beaming brighter then a kid's in a giant candy store.  
  
Lina looked over the kid settled in her hands and frowned. "No, I guess not." His smile faded. Lina's mind fumbled over ideas. She had to keep Xaina here. Why? She wasn't sure. She just had to. Something in her mind kept telling her she couldn't let the girl leave. A thought suddenly came to mind. "Where are you going, anyway? Do you even have somewhere to go?"  
  
Xaina shook her head. "No, not really. Never really thought about where to go before. I just kinda went. It's not a good idea to stay in one place for long, especially when you're taking things that aren't yours. Lots 'a people are like the shop owner. They don't like me much."  
  
"That 'cause you look like one of those street kids who steals things," Gourry blurted out. Lina shot him an evil glare. She really wished he'd think before he spoke.  
  
"I know," Xaina replied. She didn't seem to care about his comment. She just leaned against Lina, a bit subdued and tired from the meal.  
  
"Then why don't you just wear something else?"  
  
"Because she doesn't have anything else, you dolt!" Lina snapped. Xaina flinched.  
  
"Oh."  
  
Lina looked back down at the girl. She brushed some of the tangled shadow hair out of the girls eyes. "So, we'll just have to get you something better, mm?"  
  
Xaina straightened up and stared up at the redhead. She had raised one questioning eyebrow. "Alright, what's the catch?"  
  
"There's no catch."  
  
"There's not?" the blond questioned.  
  
The young woman shot him another evil glare. "No, there's not."  
  
"Then what do you want?" the child questioned. She folded her arms together, staring at Lina suspiciously.  
  
"Nothing," the sorceress answered honestly.  
  
"Liar. No one just saves someone, feeds 'um, and then buys 'um clothes without wanting something first...unless you..." She didn't even finish the sentence before she started trying to slip out of Lina's grasp.  
  
"No, no," Lina half cried as she kept a firm hold on the small creature on her lap. "We're not going to hurt you. It's alright.  
  
It's alright," she desperately tried to sooth.  
  
Gourry, meanwhile, had gotten up from his seat. He walked over in front of Lina and kneeled down to eye level with the child. He had no idea why Lina wanted to keep her here, but then again, he never really understood a lot about Lina. He just went along with it. The girl stopped struggling as her violet eyes met his sapphire ones. She was afraid of him.  
  
"Hey kid," he said in a low, calm voice, "No one's going to hurt you. If Lina wanted to hurt you, I promise, you wouldn't still be here. I know. She's fireballed me plenty of times and believe me it hurts, but that's only when she's mad, and she's not mad. You can tell when she's mad, 'cause she sorta looks like she's about to catch on fire...or at least, her hands do." He smiled innocently.  
  
The girl looked up at Lina, studying her face. "If you really don't want anything new to wear, then I suppose we should just go,"  
  
Lina sighed as she let the girl slid off on to the floor. She pulled some coins from a pouch on her waist and tossed them on the table, then got up. "Let's go, Gourry."  
  
"Yeah, but," the swordsman tried to protest.  
  
"Never mind, never mind, come on, let's go." Confused, Gourry got up and followed. What was she up to? Once they were outside, she took a few steps to the right and leaned up against the wall with her hands behind her head, her eyes closed.  
  
"Say Lina, what're you doing?"  
  
"Reverse psychology."  
  
"Reserve psychopolothy? What's that?"  
  
"Reverse psychology, you numskull, and it's getting people to do what you want by suggesting they do the opposite. My sister use to do it all the time when I was little. Just give her a minute. She'll come out." Right on cue, Xaina popped out the door, looking straight at them. One fire colored eye opened and watched her. "Change your mind?"  
  
"I know what you're trying to do," Xaina stated bluntly.  
  
"You do?"  
  
The girl nodded. "It wont work."  
  
"What wont work?" Lina asked innocently.  
  
"You're trying to trick me into going with you."  
  
"Trying to trick you? Now why would we do a thing like that? Are we trying to trick her, Gourry?"  
  
"Yes," he replied. She punched him in the arm. "Owe. What'd I do? You asked me. I thought you forgot about that renerved psychotolothingy." She punched him again, harder this time. "What'd I do!? What'd I do!?"  
  
Xaina covered her mouth, trying to stifle a giggle. It didn't work. Lina's ears picked up the sound and she smiled. Lina knelt down. "You think that's funny?" Xaina didn't reply, just kept giggling. "Now look, Xaina, I'm making you my good dead for the year. Wont you at least let my finish it? After all, if I wanted to kidnap or hurt you, do you think I'd have a guy with the brains of a jellyfish around as a partner?" she asked, pointing back at Gourry, "Come on, how dangerous could he be?"  
  
The girl's violet eyes looked Gourry up and down. "I suppose you're right."  
  
"Good. Let's go. You can even ride on Gourry's shoulders."  
  
"She can?" came Gourry's rather confused reply.  
  
Lina waved a hand at him. "Of course she can. It's not like she's all that big. I've seen you pick up Zel without breaking a sweat.  
  
She should be no problem."  
  
Gourry shrugged. It made no difference to him. He scooped the girl up and placed her on his shoulders. Her little hands wrapped together around his forehead. He grabbed hold of her ankles so she wouldn't fall. "Ready?" he asked.  
  
"Yeah," the girl replied in a cheery voice. "You can see a lot from up here," she commented as they walked down the street. "You sure are tall Mr. Gourry. I'm surprised there aren't any clouds up here."  
  
"Sometimes there are. They come all the way down from the sky at night sometimes, but they go away in the afternoon. Lina says "It's just fog, but it looks like clouds to me."  
  
"I always thought fog looked like clouds too. I liked to go out an' play in it, but Aunt Nell always made me come back inside. Mom said fairies lived in fog and they'd play with you if you went out in it. Aunt Nell said she was lying to me, though."  
  
"I bet fairies would like fog. There's plenty of places to hide and play in it. Your aunt probably just didn't believe in them so she couldn't see them."  
  
"Speaking of your mother, where is she?" Lina interjected.  
  
Xaina shrugged. "Don't know. Where do people go after they die?"  
  
Lina was silent for a moment. "I don't know. I'm sorry."  
  
"For what?"  
  
"For your mother."  
  
"Why? Did you make her sick? That's how she died. Nobody knew what was wrong with her 'cept that she was just getting real thin and tired. That's why Aunt Nell came to stay with us. She was suppose to take care of mom, but mostly she just bossed me around and smacked me with a broom when I didn't do as I was told."  
  
"Where's your aunt now?" the blond questioned while they still headed in the direction of the clothing shop.  
  
"Don't know, don't care. She tried to sell me and Booie to someone.  
  
"Booie?" Lina questioned, raising one eyebrow.  
  
The girl pulled a small, floppy, over loved, stuffed gray wolf from an oversized pocket. "Booie. It's just been him an' me after mom passed on. People say passed on, so it must mean you go somewhere, right?" She tucked the toy back into her pocket.  
  
"Of course it does," Lina smiled, trying to change he subject from it's dreary tone. "I'm sure your mothers somewhere nice looking over to make sure your safe. And look, we're here." She reached up, taking the girl and carried her inside, a big smile still plastered on her face. Xaina just smiled back. Something about holding Xaina just made Lina happy for no reason she could  
  
find. Once inside, she set Xaina down, still keeping a firm hold on her hand and walked over to where they kept the children's clothes. Gourry just kept up like he always did. She looked the little girl over. She's really light skinned but she's got dark hair, so...she needs something dark, but not too dark. She pondered, looking over everything they had. She pulled out a black skirt and held it up to Xaina. "No, too dark. Perhaps something purple," she mumbled to herself. Gourry watched as Lina went through the clothes piece by piece, occasionally mumbling something about colors or size. She went  
  
about them like she did with her treasure, checking everything over very carefully and assessing it's value. It was odd to him. Why did what this little girl wear matter so much to her? Was it really that important? Normally, she didn't really care much about any of the kids they saw, though she never would have hurt them. She didn't hate kids, not at all, she just didn't really pay much attention to them. She was certainly going out of her way to keep Xaina with them, that much he was certain about. Oh well. He  
  
shrugged and looked up and down the shelf next to him. A piece of dark purple fabric caught his eye all of a sudden from one of the higher shelves. He reached up and snagged it, knocking over a few other articles of clothing in the process.  
  
"I like this one," the man blurted out as he held up his find: a soft piece of sturdy violet leather fabric with a cotton lining that had been sewn into a small hooded cape.  
  
"Gourry, that's perfect," Lina beamed as she snatched it from his hands and draped it over the girl, who was now holding a small stack of clothing. Gourry grinned, happy that he could be of help. "Fits too. Good. Go try it on," she insisted as she gave Xaina a push towards one of the changing rooms. "Now, she'll need a good pair of shoes...Gourry! Look what you've done!" she scolded as she saw the small pile of clothes he had knocked over. He smiled sheepishly and started gathering them up and shoving them back up on  
  
the shelf in a mess heap. "Well, fold 'um first."  
  
"Oh, okay." He took one of the items and made an attempt to fold it.  
  
After watching him make three miserable attempts, Lina sighed. "Here, let me do it. Just put 'um back up there." She grabbed the cloth, folded it slowly so he could watch, and handed it back. "See. It's not hard. Didn't you ever fold laundry when you were a kid?"  
  
"No," he admitted.  
  
"Figures. Just copy me, alright." Gourry did his best, though he couldn't seem to get the hang of it.  
  
~*~*~  
  
Xaina pulled on the clothes she'd been given and carefully folded up her old ones, setting Booie on top of them, just in case they changed their minds. They are weird people, she thought as she hooked the belt she'd been given closed. Wonder why they're really doing this. They have to want something. People always do. She smoothed out the blouse. It was a very light pale blue with buttons down the front and hung down below her waist. The sleeves  
  
came down to her elbows. She grabbed a small extra shirt that was meant to be worn over the blouse that had a small bone button to hold the top of it closed. she guessed it to be made of tanned leather. Her pants were made of the same thing but were lined with the same fabric as the shirt was made out of. The fabric was soft and felt wonderful against her skin. It was much better then her ragged dress. This new outfit put the old scraps of clothing to shame. She didn't want to give up the clothing, even if they did  
  
change their minds. This stuff fit right, and still had room to grow, instead of being to small. Lastly, she grabbed the cape and fastened it tight. It was darker then everything else and she began to wonder if it even went with  
  
everything else. Lina had insisted it did, though. Her mind went back to the two adults. Why were they doing this? There wasn't anything she could offer them. She'd heard about people who acted nice before they took children from their homes and did terrible things to them. But they haven't made you do anything you didn't want to, a voice nagged inside her. They've been nothing but kind to you. You really don't have any reason to be distrustful of them. But didn't Aunt Nell say people who were nice only wanted something in return, A second voice reminded her. Of course, Aunt Nell was never nice and she wanted lots of things and then she tried to get rid of you, the first persisted. She peered out from behind the curtain in front of the small changing stall and saw them folding clothes Gourry had knocked over. Just keep your guard up. Even nice people can become mean. Grabbing her old clothes and Booie, she stepped out of the stall. Neither of the adults noticed her at first, so she gave tug on the sorceress's cape. "Um, how do I look?" she asked uncertainly.  
  
Lina beamed at the girl. "Perfect," she exclaimed. Gourry smiled behind her. "Now, just some boots and stockings..."  
  
*****  
  
"It's amazing how small she looks when she's sleeping," Lina commented as she pulled the covers up over Xaina's sleeping body. She'd managed to keep the girl with them all day, not that it had been too hard after they had bought her the clothes. She had kept the girl occupied by taking her all over town, showing her everything she could think of showing, and after dinner Gourry had started telling her about some of their earlier adventures (probably not realizing he was helping at all) until she fell asleep.  
  
"Isn't she small already?" Gourry asked. He was brushing his hair by the window.  
  
"Yeah, but she's really small."  
  
"Aren't kids suppose to be small?" He set the brush down and walked up behind Lina, wrapping his arms around her shoulders.  
  
"Yeah, but not this small when they're four. That's how old she said she was. even I was bigger then this when I was four, and I was short."  
  
"You're still short," he commented. She shot him an evil look and pulled out his grasp. "Not that that's a bad thing," he quickly added. "I like you short and small. Makes you easier to pick up." She gave him a half smile before grabbing the hair brush and running it through her fire mane. A questioned nagged in the back of his mind. "You wanna keep her, don't you?" he finally  
  
asked. He'd been wanting to ask it all day, but never got the chance. He knew how protective of something Lina became when she wanted to keep it, and she had been guarding this kid like a hawk. He knew he wasn't bright, but he wasn't blind.  
  
"Yeah," she answered lamely.  
  
"Why?"  
  
The sorceress shrugged. "Don't know. I just do. I mean, I didn't when I first saw her, but I guess, over lunch, she kinda grew on me and when she tried to leave, I couldn't let her. Don't ask me why; I don't know. Something just kept telling me not to let her go; something bad would happen if I did."  
  
"Mommy instincts," Gourry stated matter-of-factly. She looked towards him, completely confused. He just smiled his innocent boy smile as he pulled off his shirt and reached for his pajama shirt.  
  
"Mommy instincts? I'm almost afraid to ask, but where'd you hear that?"  
  
"My mother. She said all girl creatures had mommy instincts. It's what make them mothers," he happily explained.  
  
"And you remember that?"  
  
"Of course. I remember the important things, and my mother said that was important...don't remember why I had to remember it, though."  
  
Lina rolled her eyes. "And stories about your ancestors aren't important."  
  
He shook his head. "If they had been, someone would have said they were but no one ever did, so they must not have been." Lina  
  
chuckled. Sometimes his simple mind made him so cute. "I remember other stuff too."  
  
"Oh yeah, like what?"  
  
"Like what places have good food, how to use my sword, that your called Lina the pink...***"  
  
"What!?! Who told you that!?!" Lina cried. Xaina moaned. Lina and Gourry stopped moving, both staring at her, expecting her to wake up any second. The girl rolled over but remained asleep. She clutched her toy wolf close to her body. Both adults let out a sigh a relief. "That was close," Lina whispered. "Now, who told you my title?"  
  
Gourry thought for a minute...a long minute. "Don't know." He smiled in his sweet way. "Don't remember."  
  
"Just don't repeat it to anyone," the petite woman warned him. A yawn crept up on her, reminding her how tired she was. Her fire eyes crept back over to the sleeping girl in the bed. "Guess we're on the floor tonight."  
  
The swordsman leaned down and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "You've never minded before," he teased.  
  
(***note*** I got the little info about Lina's official title being Lina the pink from the original novels written by Hajime Kanzaka.) 


	3. Late Night Voices

Chap 3 - Late Night Voices  
  
Alright, so things had been a little strange at first, but after two weeks, Xaina was rather enjoyed the company of Lina and Gourry. She had been suspicious of them, but that suspicion had long since faded away. They were taking care of her after all. It felt rather nice not to have to worry about her next meal or where she'd sleep at night.  
  
The girl sat up on Gourry's shoulders. This was one of her favorite places. From there, she could see everything without having to look up all the time. Though she didn't mind walking, this was a great place to be when her legs were tired. They were currently heading towards where Filia lived. They had told her all about Filia. She was a golden dragon, they had said, who had helped them to stop someone called Darkstar, who had wanted to destroy the world. Of course, that had all happened when she was only two years old. Val, Filia's adopted son, was the last ancient dragon. She wasn't sure what an ancient dragon was, but it seemed to her that it was odd to call him an ancient dragon if he had only been born two years ago. Oh well. It didn't matter.  
  
Xaina peered up at the sky through the trees. They'd been in this forest since yesterday and it didn't show any signs of breaking up. A few clouds could be spotted through the branches dotting the brilliance of the blue sky. Off to the east, or at least what she thought was east, she could still see the edges of a rock cliff the path followed. It went around a mountain that was far easier to go around then over.  
  
"Why's the sky blue?" the girl asked without ever looking down.  
  
Gourry looked up with her. "Good question. Lina, why's the sky blue?"  
  
"I don't know. Just is," the sorceress replied. All the hair on the back of Xaina's neck suddenly stood on end.  
  
"It's black, actually," a sly voice replied. "The atmosphere just makes it look blue." Xaina's eyes darted in the direction of the voice. Sitting on a low branch was a strange man with purple hair. He wore a white shirt with a green cape. In one hand he held a staff with a red ball embedded in it. A huge smirk was spread across his face, his eyes closed in amusement. She was certain he hadn't been there a minute ago. Her fingers tensed. There was something strange about him...  
  
~*~*~  
  
"Xellos!" Lina snapped. The normal smirk on his face became even bigger.  
  
"Hey Xellos," Gourry chirped.  
  
"What do you want?" Lina glared at him. No matter how innocent he may have appeared, Lina knew better then to trust him. He never showed up unless he was up to something.  
  
"What do I want? Why, what ever do you mean, Lina?" the monster priest asked innocently. "Am I not allowed to stop by and say hello?"  
  
"Oh, no one said you weren't allowed, you just don't unless you want something. So, what do you want, or do you just want to use us as bait, as you've done so often?"  
  
"I'm hurt, Lina. Do you really have that little faith in me?" the monster teased.  
  
"Yes," the sorceress stated bluntly. Xaina's grip on Gourry became tighter. He could hear her heartbeat speed up just a little. "What do you want?"  
  
"That's..."  
  
"If you say secret, so help me Xellos..."  
  
"Actually, I was going to say not important, but I suppose secret works too." The smile on his face grew even larger. Lina clenched her hands into fists. His eyes peeked open, just a little and focused on the little girl sitting on Gourry's shoulders. She stared back at him. He could feel the fear brimming off of her, and he relished in it. He closed his eyes again. "My my, I never thought I'd see the day when the mighty Lina Inverse would break down to play mother to a lost little mongrel child."  
  
"Hey!" Lina snapped. Her temper was slowly starting to boil over.  
  
Xellos slipped off the tree and floated down towards the swordsmen and the girl. "Scrawny thing, too." He reached out one gloved hand to touch her. Xaina leaned back. She would have fallen off had Gourry not been holding on to her ankles.  
  
"Go away," the girl whimpered.  
  
Xellos fully opened his eyes so she could see them fully and smiled wickedly. "Do I scare you?" Xaina gulped. She stretched her arms out desperately to Lina, silently begging the red head to take and protect her. Lina responded, taking Xaina out of Xellos' immediate reach. She gripped on to the cloth of Lina's clothes so hard that nothing short of the jaws of life would pry the girl off. Guess I do, the monster thought. Shame, though her fear is quite tasty. He floated to the ground, still keeping his eyes on the girl. Xaina buried her face against Lina's shoulder guard. "Oh, now what is there to be so afraid of? Do you think I might take you away? " he continued to tease. Hey, an easy meal is an easy meal. Lina held Xaina tighter, turning her body slightly so Xaina was further away from him. "Afraid I might take you away like I do with all bad children and eat you?"  
  
"Stop it, Xellos," Gourry barked, quickly putting himself between the monster and Lina and the child.  
  
"Fine, fine" Xellos sighed. "Just ruin all my fun." Lina shot him an evil glare. This may be harder then I thought. "Well, I best get going. Other business to attend to, ya know. We shall see each other again." He gave them another innocent smile and disappeared.  
  
There was a long pause. He seemed to be gone, though with Xellos it was hard to tell. "Is he gone?" Xaina whimpered out the question.  
  
"Yeah, he's gone," Lina whispered as she rubbed a hand down the back of the girl's head.  
  
Gourry leaned down, smiling at the girl. "Xellos wont hurt you, Xaina. He was just teasing."  
  
"He's mean," Xaina sighed, trying to hide her fear behind anger.  
  
"Sometimes," Gourry replied. "Wanna ride on my shoulders again?" Xaina shook her head. "Oh..."  
  
Xaina squirmed a little and Lina let her down to the ground. The girl took a firm hold of Lina's hand and refused to let go. He eyes kept darting back to where Xellos had disappeared, even as they continued following the old path through the woods.  
  
She knows I'm still here, Xellos pondered. Interesting. I'll have to remember she can sense me. She's stronger then I thought. I'll need to try a different approach.  
  
*****  
  
"Xaina,' a voice called. The girl didn't notice it. She was happy and warm where she was, snuggled between Lina and Gourry inside a shallow cave they had found. The fire had long since dimmed and only the warm embers remained. The air had turned suddenly cold when the sun set; now there was a faint heat emanating from something nearby. "Xaina,' the voice persisted. "Wake up, Xaina.' The heat became stronger. She could hardly stand it soon. She had to cool off. It was too hot where she was. She pushed the blankets down, letting a little cool air seep into her clothing and touch her skin. It didn't help. Sweat beaded up on her forehead and neck. She sat up, pulling further out. She stretched and yawned. "That's a good girl. Get up, now.' She brushed her finger along the corners of her eyes, brushing out some sleep crystals. She felt wide awake, yet still exhausted. The heat still clung to her body. She spied Lina and Gourry, who were both still soundly sleeping. Lina mumbled something about food and Gourry not sharing. How can they sleep in this heat? Aren't they hot?  
  
Xaina slipped fully out from under the blankets and stood, stretching the rest of her body. Oh, much better. The heat was slowly starting to leave her and she was cooling off. The cave was comfortably warm, but not hot. It was still dark out, she quickly noted. A little mist hung in the cave. "Fog?" she whispered.  
  
"Xaina. Xaina.' The girl whirled in all directions. That voice. She heard it now. Where had it come from?  
  
"W-who's there?" she stammered.  
  
"Shhh, you don't want to wake them. Come to the entrance,' the voice insisted. That airy voice. It was like it wasn't even there.  
  
"Why?" she demanded.  
  
"Just come. I'll tell you why when you get there.' The girl looked towards the mouth of the cave fearfully. She couldn't see it, but she knew it was just around the bend in the rock. She knelt down, reaching for Lina's shoulder. "That wont work.' Xaina jerked her tiny hand back. "You can't wake them up.'  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because I put a sleep spell on them. You should know what that does. I've seen Lina trying to teach you some magic. You want to learn magic, right?'  
  
"Yes. Why? Who are you?"  
  
"I can teach you magic...very strong magic. Would you like that?' Xaina shook her head. There was a long pause. "Just come outside.' There was a slight irritation in the voice, she quickly picked up.  
  
"No."  
  
Again, there was a long pause. "There's fog out here. I thought you liked playing in the fog. Don't you want to come and see.' She shook her head. "Don't you want to come and play? I would like to. Wont you come play?'  
  
"No," she replied once more. "If you want to see me so badly, come inside where I can see you."  
  
Another pause. "Very well...if you insist," the voice finished much more solid this time. It was closer. Before, it had been calling from somewhere far away; now it sound right next to her. Xaina's violet eyes darted around the room finally coming to rest on a figure slowly appearing in the mist. It was too dark to see more then his outline, though he looked to be human. In one hand he held a staff with a red orb embedded in it that glowed though gave off no light. She could feel his eyes piercing through her soul.  
  
"Wh-what do you want. Honestly," she stammered once more as she attempted, and failed, to hide her fear from him.  
  
"To take you," he answered. There was something familiar about his voice.  
  
"Where?"  
  
"Far, far away from here. You'll like it. I promise."  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
"Someone who's been watching over you for a long time, Xaina. I know all about you. I even know things about you that you don't even know. I'd like to tell you about them."  
  
"Then do it here."  
  
"If you don't like it, I'll take you right back here. I promise."  
  
"No," she pressed. "Explain it here."  
  
"I can force you to come if I have to."  
  
She folded her arms together and scowled at him. "If you can just take me, then why don't you? I think you're lying."  
  
"Oh, no. I'm not lying. I'd just rather take you willingly. It's much easier for both of us that way."  
  
Xaina reached under the blankets and snagged hold of Booie, just in case this... this... "What are you?"  
  
"Just someone who's been watching over you."  
  
"I didn't ask who. I asked what. You're not human."  
  
"Oh, and what makes you think that?" the being asked, truly curious.  
  
Xaina shrugged. "I don't know. You just don't seem human, is all."  
  
"Is that so. Are you going to come with me or not?" Xaina shook her head no. "Very well. Then I'll just have to force you, now wont I." He took a few steps closer. Xaina's heart skipped several beats. She stumbled back, tripping over her own two feet. He got closer. A knot formed in her throat. He took a few more steps. She scrambled backwards, pressing her back against the wall of the cave. He took several more steps. Instinct took over and she screeched. The sound echoed throughout the cave. The creature drew back. Gourry groaned and Lina rolled over groggily.  
  
"Wha...?" the swordsman moaned.  
  
"Damn," the creature cursed before disappearing. The heat that had been in the cave went with him.  
  
"Huh? Xaina?" Lina mumbled through a yawn. It took a moment for Xaina to comprehend what had just happened. She was too shocked to move. "Xaina?" Lina persisted.  
  
Slowly coming out of her shock, Xaina squeezed Booie as hard as she could, crushing the life further out of the old toy, sobbing.  
  
"What's the matter?" Gourry asked, not bothering to hide any of the worry in his voice. Xaina didn't answer. Her sobbing got harder. The blond looked over at Lina, searching for some sort of answer in her eyes, but getting none.  
  
Lina crawled up next to the child, pulling the girl into her arms and cradling her like a baby. "Hey, hey, sh sh. It's alright. It's alright. Shhh shhhh," she cooed softly. "It's alright now. Don't cry, don't cry." She brushed a few tears away from the girl's cheeks. 


	4. The Wolf's Cry

Chap 4 - The Wolf's Cry  
  
It was too foggy to continue. He knew they'd have to wait until it cleared up a little before they continued on their way to Filia's. Oh well, he sighed.  
  
Gourry walked back to Lina. She was wrapped up in their blankets with Xaina curled up in a ball on her lap. The girl had stopped crying but still sniffled a little now and again. She was sucking her thumb, her eyes sealed shut, and clutching her toy with a force not even the gods could break. Lina rocked her gently. The red head looked exhausted. They hadn't gotten much sleep last night after Xaina had awaken them up. Xaina hadn't told them what she had been so frightened of, but he guessed it was a nightmare. Bad dreams use to scare him when he was little too. He dropped down next to them and peered down at the tiny child.  
  
"Is she asleep?" he whispered.  
  
"I think so," Lina whispered back. "How bad is it out there?"  
  
"Couldn't see my hand in front of me when I held it out there."  
  
"Great," the young woman sighed sarcastically. "Oh well. Nothing we can do 'till it clears up." She leaned back, letting her head rest against his chest. "And I was hoping we'd be able to make it all the way to Filia's today. Man, this trip is taking longer then I thought." She glanced up at him. There were dark circle under her eyes. "Not that that's a bad thing. I'm just...just..." She was cut off by a yawn.  
  
She needs sleep, a voice in the back of the swordsman's mind told him. "Go to sleep, Lina. I'll wake you up when the fog lifts enough to see." She was about to argue when another yawn claimed her and she gave in to the wariness. He wrapped his arms protectively around the small woman and smiled. This wasn't so bad.  
  
*****  
  
Lina kept her eyes on the girl who was now holding onto Gourry's fingers. Xaina couldn't reach fully up to his hand, so she just contented herself by holding on to two of his fingers and clutching Booie in her other hand. What ever had scared her last night had left a lasting impression on the girl throughout the day. She would look back over her shoulder every now and again as if expecting something to jump out at her any moment. she still hadn't told them what had frightened her so badly the night before. Pride, Lina had guessed. She may be little, but she definitely has some stubborn pride in there.  
  
The sun was beginning to set, spreading pink light through the thinning tress. They were almost out of the forest, but it was still a couple hours more walk to Filia's shop. Even if they did continue, it would be almost midnight before they got there and somehow, waking the golden dragon in the middle of the night just didn't sound like a good idea. She wasn't looking forward to another night outside...on the ground...in the cold...  
  
"Look," Xaina cried as she pointed off to the side of the road. Lina followed the girl's line of sight until her ruby eyes came to rest upon a small town.  
  
"A town!" the sorceress cried.  
  
"And food!" the swordsman cheered. Lina took off, running for the place. Gourry scooped the girl up, placing her on his shoulders and ran close behind the red head. Xaina held on tight and started laughing. Riding up this high on Gourry's shoulder's while he was running was fun. They reached the little village in no time, slowing down when they got closer until they were walking once more.  
  
"Oh, can't you keep running?" Xaina whined. "That was fun."  
  
"It was?" Gourry questioned as he peered up at her with his sapphire eyes. Xaina nodded, a big smile on her face and her eyes closed.  
  
"Not now," Lina replied. "A little later maybe. We need to find a place for the night and something for dinner."  
  
The town was small, but not so small that it shouldn't have an inn. Places were closing, however, even though it was still early.  
  
"Guess they close when the sun goes down," Gourry commented.  
  
"Guess so," Lina sighed.  
  
As the walked down the main street going through town looking for an inn, the three noticed that most of the people about were already going inside and showed no signs of coming out again. Usually, people stayed out past dark just to socialize a little. The evening was when people went to go get a drink or two at the local tavern. They didn't see a tavern at all, in fact, now that Lina thought about it. How strange, she thought while still looking for an inn. People passing didn't seem to notice the group at all.  
  
"Hey, mister," Lina tried to get the attention of a man passing by them, but he didn't seem to have heard her. Very strange. "Okay."  
  
"That was weird," Gourry commented.  
  
"Why?" Xaina asked. "Most people ignore me when ever I went into a town. Are they not suppose to?"  
  
"Not when you try to talk to them," Lina filled in. "There's something not right about this."  
  
"Maybe he didn't hear you?" Gourry suggested.  
  
"Maybe..." She trailed off. "Let's just find the inn." They continued until they finally spotted a small place with a sign hanging out front with the word "INN" on it. All the way there, people in the street that passed them by on their ways home, either ignored them entirely, or avoided the group like they had some sort of plague. As they stepped inside the inn, the room went dead silent. There were only a few people inside, but all of them were staring at the three. "Uh...hi...," the young woman stated rather insecurely. Something about this whole town was creeping her out. "What, have you people never seen a sorceress before!?" she suddenly screamed out. All the people there quickly averted their eyes back to their tables and plates of food. That's a little better. Putting on a display of confidence she didn't feel, Lina strode up to the main desk and approached the man that looked like the owner. He was counting coins into a leather pouch. Gourry, as always, was right behind her, holding Xaina close in his arms, no longer on his shoulders...well more like she was holding on to him. "We'd like a room," she stated clearly. One black eye glared up at her, sending shivers down her spine.  
  
"Is that so. Well, I guess it's a good thing I just happen to have a room," the man hissed out like a snake. His voice was low and even, almost evil, yet showed no signs of danger. He stood, being close to Gourry's own height, and took Lina's hand in his own. He bowed, kissing her gloved hand. Gourry glared at they man but did nothing. He didn't like this place anymore then she did and this creepy guy didn't help make him like it even more. "Have a seat, my friends, and have something to eat. I'll have a warm bath drawn up in your room for you by the time you're done. Luri!" he yelled to a room off in the back. Judging from the smell, Lina guessed it was the kitchen. A young girl of about 12 wearing a pink dress and spotless white apron appeared at the door. "Bring these three some dinner and tell Kreel to make a bath in room 4."  
  
The girl nodded, muttering, "Yes sir," and disappeared back inside the room.  
  
"Have a seat, have a seat," the owner insisted as he motioned towards the nearest table. His cold eyes flickered over to Xaina who gripped tighter to Gourry. "Such a pretty little girl you have there. Such a pretty girl indeed," he murmured.  
  
*****  
  
A faint splashing could be heard from the other room. Lina smiled as she peered in, watching as Xaina happily played with some soap bubbles. The food had been lousy, to put it nicely, and it had been hard to eat with everyone watching (though they still ate more then most people would have), but the bath was hot and who ever had filled it had made some bubbles in it just for the child. There was also a mirror in the room, and the bed had two mattresses, so they could pull one on the floor for Xaina, and that seemed to make up a little bit for the bad food. Oh well, Lina mentally sighed. I'm sure we'll find plenty of good things when we get to Filia's.  
  
"Hey Gourry," Xaina chirped from her bath. Lina peered in and saw the swordsman standing by the wooden tub of water holding a handful of rags he used to polish his sword.  
  
"What?" he asked in his usually, innocent tone. Xaina lifted one hand out of the water and motioned with one finger for him to get closer. He got down on his hands and knees so he was eye level with her. "Yeah?" There was a loud splashing, followed quickly by a little girl's giggles. The whole top half of Gourry had been soaked. He had a defeated look on his face, much the same as whenever he realized he wasn't going to win an argument with Lina. The sorceress giggled too, as he pushed some of his wet blond hair out of his eyes. "What was that for?"  
  
The girl shrugged, turning back to her bubbles. "Don't know. You just looked like you needed a bath too."  
  
"Oh," he sighed, getting up. He obviously hadn't found this anywhere near as amusing as Xaina had. As he stepped out, he noticed the smile on Lina's face. "I bet you think this is funny too."  
  
"Well, if you're that upset, go soak her back," Lina teased.  
  
He raised a curious eyebrow. "But isn't she already wet?"  
  
"Yes, but you can still do it back. She's just playing, after all. Oh, never mind." She went back to brushing her hair.  
  
"Hey, Lina, where is this place on the map?" Gourry asked from across the room. She looked back to see him looking at their map of the area with a bewildered expression as he held it sideways.  
  
The red head got up and walked over. She took the map and held it the right way. "It's not on here. Probably too small to be, but we're somewhere around here," she explained as she traced a circle around where they were.  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I don't know. Everything here just seems kind of...I don't, weird," he explained.  
  
"I know," she sighed. "It's like the people here have never seen travelers before, even though they've got an inn for travelers. Frankly, I don't like it anymore then you do, but what are the alternatives? Sleep outside when we're within walking distance of a town?"  
  
"Well, no I guess not, but..."  
  
"Don't worry about." She waved a hand, dismissing the issue. "If anything happens, I've always got a few spells up my sleeve. And I know you're sword isn't the sword of light, but it's still a good blade, especially after all the spells and talismans I've put on it."  
  
Gourry sighed. "I know. I just don't like it here."  
  
"Why?" Xaina asked. Two heads darted over to the doorway to the wash room where Xaina stood with a pink towel wrapped around her body. She wore a curious expression, though both adults could see a trace of fear in her eyes. Water was dripping into a small puddle around her bare little feet. "Is something wrong?"  
  
"No, no, of course nothing's wrong. The people here are just a little odd, is all," Lina lied lightheartedly with a big smile.  
  
The girl took on a very solemn expression. "You're lying."  
  
The smile instantly faded. "W-what makes you think that?" she asked nervously.  
  
"I don't know," Xaina shrugged. "I think you are."  
  
"Don't worry about it," Gourry smiled. "Lina an' I can handle anything."  
  
"That's right," Lina agreed. "We've faced things far worse then some small town bumpkins. Now go get on you're pajama's and Gourry'll tell you a story." Xaina disappeared back in the washroom, leaving a trail of footprints behind from the water. When she was out of sight, Lina turned back to Gourry, whispering. "Keep you're sword close tonight. Something's going to happen. I can feel it."  
  
"Right," Gourry whispered back.  
  
*****  
  
All the hair on the back of Xaina's neck stood on end. Something had drawn her out of her sleep only a moment ago, and she was certain that it wasn't Lina or Gourry mumbling in their sleep. She was facing the mirror, and though her eyes wouldn't focus, she was certain she could see something in it. She blinked a few more times, trying to clear up the fuzz. Something gleamed in the reflection of the moonlight in the image before her. Her eyes widened in terror.  
  
Instinct told her to jump. She rolled off the mattress on the floor.. There was a strange muffled sound. She scrambled to her feet. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw several shinny objects pulling out of the mattress. They were connected to a black arm. A wisp of air ran by her ear. She tripped just as something passed over her head. She hit the ground with a hard thud. Her body moved without thought. She tumbled back to her feet, narrowly missing something crashing through the wooden floor making an awful noise.  
  
"Fireball!" A ball of fire passed right by Xaina and hit something black behind her. "Fireball!" Xaina jerked away from it's reach, so she hoped, as another ball of fire passed by her. "Fireball!" A third sphere of fire struck something that had been standing over the mattress on the floor. It made a screeching noise and darted across the room to join two other creatures. Xaina dashed over to the bed, with Lina standing on it, holding another fireball in her hand. Gourry stood just in front of the bed, holding his sword defensively. "Keep your hands off her!" Lina spat, not bothering to hide any of the rage in her voice. Gourry just growled his agreement with her.  
  
"Ah, yes, I'd been hoping to do this quick and painlessly while you were asleep," one of the dark figures spoke in a deep voice, dripping with malice, "But you seem to want to die slowly, and who am I to argue with the great Lina Inverse."  
  
Lina glared at him and threw the spell. All three creatures dived out of the way. It the brief instant of light, Xaina could vaguely see the dark beings before they disappeared entirely from sight. The ball exploded when it hit the wall, making a huge hole in it to the next room, which was empty. Something in the air flickered right beside Lina. "Look out!" The girl shouted. Glittering metal claws sliced the air. Lina had tried to leap out of the way, but it sliced through her arm.  
  
"Damn girl!" a lower voice like a snakes hissed. The claws disappeared again. Driven by rage at seeing Lina hurt, Gourry charged the area where the claws had been. He sliced through the air but hit nothing. "Ha! You can't hurt us with that!" the voice gloated.  
  
The air seemed to flicker again, but just to Xaina's left. She jumped as six strips of thick wire-like strands pierced into the floor. They were yanked up, ripping up part of the wood. "Hold still, brat!" a third voice roared. This one was female. A ball of fire flew towards where the wires had been but struck another wall.  
  
"Damn it!" Lina swore.  
  
"Can't hit what you can't see," the first voice taunted.  
  
"Cowards," Gourry spat. "Afraid to fight honorably!?"  
  
"Not at all," the female voice replied. "We just find this way easier."  
  
The air flickered again, moving towards Gourry. "Gourry, left!" Xaina screamed. Before Gourry had a chance to do anything, another ball of fire blasted from Lina's hands, striking something this time. The creature became visible: a monster. It's body was black, like a shadow, but silver was draped around it's body. The face had a mask painted like a mime's only with yellow and red instead of black and white. On each of the shadowy hands were three strips of thick silver wire that served as fingers. It looked almost human, but the arms and neck were too long. Wrapped around it's body was a cloak, now partly singed, that blended in with the area around them. It threw out it's wires, trying to kill Gourry before wrapping the cloak around itself again and disappearing from view. He dodged easily. A pair of claws raised above him. He rolled out of the way as they stuck the ground, though they sliced through a small chunk of his long hair, swinging his sword as he moved. It struck something, but the creature he hit showed no signs of being hurt.  
  
A hard smack in the back sent Xaina flying across the room. She heard something crack in her rib cage as the girl tumbled across the floor. Nausea and agonizing pain over took the girl as she gasped for air. "Xaina!" she heard Lina scream. The girl could feel the evil presence behind her. She tried to get up and run, but the pain crippled her. She forced back the pain and tried to crawl, but was over come with dizziness. She rolled onto her back, clutching her side, her eyes filled with tears. She could see the light gleam in the blur. She closed her eyes, not wanting to see her own end. Metal clashed on metal. She opened her eyes again, seeing Gourry hunched over her. He was using all his might to keep a silver hammer from coming down on them girl. He pushed. It pushed back. He forced more into his effort. It was forced back. Finally, it gave up, pulling away and blending back in with the room. The swordsmen scooped her up in one of his arms and dashed for the door with Lina right behind, throwing a stronger fireball behind her, burning everything behind them.  
  
Just as they turned around a corner in the hall, Xaina saw the flickering again. "Ahead," she cried out as best she could through the pain that swelled inside her.  
  
Lina spotted it. She dove for Gourry, pushing both into one of the walls...and then through it? They tumbled right outside onto the grass. Gourry held the girl safe from harm as the rolled on to the ground.  
  
"What the...?"  
  
"It's an illusion!" Lina snapped as she jumped up to her feet, preparing another spell.  
  
"But, it all felt real..."  
  
"They probably can't maintain it very well when they're attacking. Run!" she snapped at Gourry. He hesitated, but did as he had been told. Faintly behind him, the blond could hear her reciting a dragon slave spell.  
  
He held tighter to Xaina. "Don't worry," he whispered more for his own benefit then hers, "It'll be alright." A few seconds later, there was a loud explosion and a gust of hot air passed behind him. As the last of it passed, he turned to see Lina running to catch up to him. The part of town behind her was completely gone; a crater was in it's place. Blood was running down her arm. "Lina!" He trotted back to her, his eyes focused on her arm.  
  
"Is she alright?" Lina asked reaching for the girl. Xaina's sight became more blurry...  
  
~*~*~  
  
Lina passed a hand over the girl face. Xaina didn't move at all. She had turned very white. A line of blood ran from the girl's mouth. "Xaina?" Lina asked desperately. Gourry gave the child in his arms a gentle shake. "Xaina!?!" she cried more forcefully when the girl didn't respond. The girl moaned slightly, confirming she was still alive, but barely conscious. Lina let out a slight sigh of relief. A white light appeared in her hand, which Lina pressed against the girl's fragile body. In her mind, Lina searched out the injury...several cracked ribs...one had shattered and punctured the lung. There was enough time to still fix it without any lasting damage. She put her attention into the lung and shattered rib first.  
  
"Very impressive," a voice hissed as Lina prepared to move onto the cracked ribs. It was the first monster from before. The rest of the damage could wait. Lina canceled the spell and started to prepare another. "You are as impressive as I've heard, my dear."  
  
"Enough with the games!" the sorceress snapped.  
  
"Oh no, we're not finished playing with you yet."  
  
"Who hired you!?"  
  
"Hired us?" the snake voice barked. "Our lord did not hire us. He ordered us."  
  
"Let me guess. Some monster Lord just happens to want to take revenge on me for killing other lords. Am I right?" Lina quipped back. "You wouldn't be the first, ya know."  
  
"Actually, no. Killing you is just a side bonus," the female voice laughed.  
  
"Then what do you want?" Gourry snapped.  
  
"That is only for Lord Vereus and ourselves to know," the first voice responded. "However, we may be willing to make a deal..."  
  
"No deal!" Lina spat. "Let's fight!"  
  
"Very well," the first sighed. "If that's what you truly wish. Minions, come forth."  
  
Several of the doors to the homes that had not been destroyed opened. People stepped out. They were pale, with dark eyes, all holding weapons of some sort or another. They looked just like the slaves of Phibrezo in Siaragg. Gourry held up his sword, ready to attack. Lina nodded to Gourry. He knew what to do.  
  
"Fireball!" the red head shouted as she threw yet another fire orb. They both ran, trying to get out of town. Six wires pierced the air and struck the ground just in front of them.  
  
"Ah ah ah. You can't leave now," the female monster teased. "We've only just begun." The wires pulled back up and hung in the air, taking a new round of aiming. "Now, you die," she hissed in delight. The wires rocketed towards Gourry and the girl  
  
~*~*~  
  
His sword was no good, but he held it up anyway. The wires were coming straight for him. They stopped. Baffled, Gourry just stared at the frozen strips of metal. A howl cut through the night. The wires pulled back. The blond glanced over his shoulder and saw a large wolf trotting calmly towards them. The zombie people drew back from the humans.  
  
"What is..." Gourry tried to ask but didn't get a chance to as Lina smacked his shoulder.  
  
"Who cares! Go!"  
  
None of the spirit villagers followed them as the ran back towards the road they were suppose to be on. As they ran, all the buildings began to fade into shabby, weather beaten old buildings, long forgotten by time. They could see grass appearing in the street. Even the villagers were disappearing. The whole town wasn't real. Gourry didn't look back, but he could hear something snapping, much the same as when a sword is broken by another.  
  
How long they ran, neither knew, just that they didn't stop until they were well out of sight of the ghost town. Exhausted, both collapsed off to the side of the road panting heavily. Once they had their breath, they continued down the road. 


	5. The Golden Dragon

Chap 5 - The Golden Dragon  
  
Bang! Bang! Bang! That was what Filia had awaken to. This was soon followed by Val waking up and crying. she went to his room and picked him up before heading to the front door down stairs, mace in hand. "The sun isn't even up yet! Who in the gods' names would be up at this hour! When I get my hands on them, I'll teach them a thing or two about waking people up at three in the morning..." she muttered to herself as she placed Val in a little basket down stairs and stomped to the door. Her tail twitched from her rage. The pink bow flopped lazily as she did so. "Interrupt my sleep will you...The sign says closed!! Go away!!" she screamed at the door. They knocked, a little quieter this time. "You have to the count of three to get lost or I'm coming out there...!!!"  
  
"Filia?" a familiar voice called from outside.  
  
"Miss Lina?" She turned the lock and opened the door. Sure enough, there was Lina and Gourry looking far worse for wear dressed in their pajamas. Lina's arm was coated in blood and both were drenched in sweat. In one arm Gourry held a small, very pale child with a line of dried blood running from her mouth to where it stained the front of her nightgown. "Lina! Gourry! What happened? Come in! Come in!"  
  
"Long story," they both sighed as they practically fell through the door. They were exhausted. It's three in the morning. They should be exhausted, a voice in her head reminded her.  
  
The dragon quickly ushered them to a table in the back room where they could sit and set out some cups and a pitcher of water before fetching Val who was still crying. When she came back in, she saw Lina healing up her wound while Gourry rocked the small child. She noticed the water was all gone. She swayed with the tiny ancient dragon over one shoulder as she fetched some wood to make a fire in the open hearth and make some tea. Lina finished work on herself and quickly turned to the girl as Filia was putting some water in a kettle to boil. Val had finally started to settle down. She set him down in a basket and let him settle back to sleep on his own. When the water had boiled, she poured each of them some tea, noticing that the girl had a little color back in her round face.  
  
"So?"  
  
Lina looked up from checking the tiny girl. "So what?"  
  
"Are you going to tell me what happened?"  
  
"We were attacked," Gourry stated plainly.  
  
"Well, I can see that," the dragon half snapped but instantly regretted it when Gourry flinched back. "Sorry. It's too early to be up. What exactly happened?"  
  
"Monsters," Lina sighed. "Don't know what they wanted...and I don't think they followed us," she added when she saw the worried expression of Filia's face. "The trapped us in a little town earlier and would've ripped us apart if some wolf hadn't shown up..."  
  
"A wolf?" Lina nodded. "A wolf was going to take on the monsters."  
  
"It was a big wolf," Gourry yawned. "Almost as big as a horse."  
  
Filia frowned. "And what happened?"  
  
"Don't know for sure. Monsters got distracted, so we ran. Didn't exactly want to stick around to who would win.The little girl stirred and moaned a little in the swordsman's arms.  
  
"Who's she? She isn't..." She pointed a finger at Lina, the Gourry, and back to the red head.  
  
"What? No!" Lina cried. "She'd have to have been two years old the last time we saw you if she was. She doesn't even look like us. We found her, and well, we, kinda...took her..."  
  
"Miss Lina! Mr. Gourry! You kidnapped her to get a ransom!? Are you that greedy!?!"  
  
"What!?!" Gourry yelped. "No!" Val stirred in his basket and all three of them stopped moving. After he didn't move for several long moments, they relaxed.  
  
"She doesn't have parents," Lina sighed.  
  
"So then why'd you take her in, if you're not getting anything out of it?"  
  
Lina shrugged. "I'm not sure. We just felt sorta bad for her, since she had no one to look out for her and no place to go and it's not easy to be a kid and be alone in this world." She took a sip of the tea and smiled. It took some of the weariness out of her body. Filia had added some special herbs to reenergize them a little. "Besides, she has good taste in food."  
  
"And she likes all the things I like," Gourry pointed out with a big smile, tired on his face.  
  
Filia smiled back. "I bet you two get along just fine. Poor thing." She pushed back some disheveled black hair out of her eyes. "So little to be without parents." She fought back a yawn, glancing at Val who had completely dozed off. "Jiras and Grabos are both out of town getting some clay for the shop, so you can use their beds...upstairs," she yawned again. "We can worry about everything tomorrow..." She reached down and took Val up in her arms, then led them up stairs.  
  
"Sorry we don't have a gift for Val...kinda didn't grab any of our stuff while we were running," Lina sighed.  
  
"It's alright. You didn't exactly have much a choice," Filia replied. "The room is over there." She pointed to a small room off to the right of the hall upstairs. "You can put her in with Val..."  
  
"I'd rather keep her where I can see her, if it's all the same," Lina yawned back.  
  
"I understand...night..."  
  
*****  
  
There was a slight poking in Gourry's arm. He batted it away, thinking it was just Lina in her sleep. The poking started again. He mumbled something along the lines of 'leave me alone' but it came out more as "mree me awooon."  
  
"Are you sure?" Xaina's voice asked clearly. "It's almost lunch, an' you missed breakfast..."  
  
"What!?" Gourry nearly jumped out of the small bed, knocking a sleeping Lina and Xaina on the floor. The sorceress moaned as she picked herself up off the ground.  
  
"Gourry...!" the woman started to complain.  
  
"Lina! It's almost lunch!"  
  
"Wha...?" The red head just stared up at him, her mind still too foggy to exactly catch the meaning of what he had just said.  
  
"You two looked so peaceful, Xaina and I didn't have the heart to wake you this morning," Filia smiled from where she stood in the doorway holding the small black feathered dragon. He was chewing on a large wooden ring of sorts. "We were going to go out for lunch and let you sleep, since that seemed easier..."  
  
"And I insisted on waking you up," Xaina put in while she got up from the floor. As Gourry now looked the girl over, he realized she was dressed in the clothes Lina and him had bought her the day they had taken her in. Weren't those burned up along with everything last night? he pondered. "What? Is something wrong Gourry?"  
  
"Mr. Gourry," Filia corrected. "You should always call adults by respectful terms."  
  
"I know, but they told me not to, so I don't anymore," Xaina explained. "What's wrong Gourry?"  
  
"Weren't your things burned up last night at the town?" the swordsman questioned as he bent down to her level.  
  
"Yeah! They were!" Lina snapped, more awake now that some of the sleep had cleared off a little. "Gourry! What's the big idea throwing me on the floor!?!" She punched him hard in the shoulder.  
  
"You things were on the kitchen table this morning," Filia stated as she pointed to a corner where Lina and Gourry's bags sat.  
  
"How...odd," Lina sighed, scratching her head.  
  
"I know," Filia agreed.  
  
"Booie wasn't there, though," Xaina added in a disappointed tone.  
  
"We can get you a new toy," Gourry suggested.  
  
"Yeah, I know, but it's not Booie..."  
  
Gourry frowned. He hated seeing Xaina sad. He scooped her up in his arms. "Hey, maybe we can try and catch butterflies," he smiled, trying to brighten the girl's mood. She had mentioned something about butterflies the other day, but he couldn't quite remember what she had said about them.  
  
"No, that's alright. I think I'd rather just go to lunch. It was weird that it was all here this morning."  
  
"Not as weird as some people who don't even tell their friends about their getting married," Filia half hissed as she eyed Lina evilly.  
  
"Uh...well...yes...about that...I guess Xaina told you..." the red head sputtered.  
  
"Yes, she did mention something about it. Is there a reason I wasn't invited?"  
  
"No-no, not at all..."  
  
"We didn't invite anyone," Gourry replied, not even picking up on the fact Filia was angry about it.  
  
"We...uh...kinda...eloped," Lina finished nervously. "Xellos was the only one there because...well, he's Xellos."  
  
"You eloped!" Filia nearly screamed, completely appalled at the notion. Gourry couldn't for the life of him, figure out why she was so angry.  
  
"Well, yeah. We didn't exactly plan it. We just kinda did it...spur of the moment, ya know."  
  
"Uh huh, and how long ago was this?" the dragon grilled. Her tail stuck out from under her dress waving it's pink bow.  
  
"8 months, 3 weeks, and 5 days," Gourry happily supplied. Both women stared at him, completely in shock.  
  
"You remember that?" Lina asked, rather dumbfounded.  
  
"Of course. That was important. I told you, I always remember the important things."  
  
"Can we go eat now?" Xaina demanded. "I'm hungry."  
  
*****  
  
"Do all dragons start out this small?" Xaina asked. She was sitting on the small table in Filia's work room while Lina and Gourry cleaned up the dishes in the kitchen. (They'd broken two, so Filia made them wash the others.)  
  
"Yes," Filia replied without looking up from her wheel where she was molding claw into a small pot. While the golden dragon preferred to paint her china tea sets, she needed to finish off the last of the clay before Jiras and Grabos came back with more.  
  
"Lina said dragon eggs take a long time to hatch, so how come he didn't?"  
  
"They told you about darkstar?"  
  
"Yeah. They said that you said in a letter to Miss Amelia he had hatched only a few months after you brought him home and that you decided to just call him Val instead of Valgarv or Val Agares because you thought it'd be best if he got a new start instead of having to live with his old lives."  
  
"Have you met Miss Amelia?"  
  
"No, but Lina and Gourry have told me all about her, and Mr. Zelgaddis, and you..."  
  
"And Xellos?" she growled.  
  
"Oh, you don't like him either? Good. I met him and he gives me the creeps. I don't trust him." The girl shuddered for an added affect.  
  
Filia smiled. "Good girl. Never trust a monster. They're all evil."  
  
"Oh, Filia, stop filling her head with such silly ideas," a familiar, arrogant voice teased. Xaina dashed under the table as Filia reached for her mace.  
  
"Xellos!" the dragon roared. 


	6. Tea Cups and Staffs

Chap 6 - Tea Cups and Staffs  
  
Xellos smirked as he hung in the air just out of the dragon's reach. "Well, good afternoon Filia. And how is the former golden dragon priestess today?" Filia growled and threw her mace at him. As always, he teleported out of the way which only further angered the blond dragon in human form. Somehow, the mace managed not to hit anything valuable as it smashed in to a wall, where she retrieved it. He relished in her powerful emotions when he was around. You're not here for that, he reminded himself, but there's no reason I can't have a little fun while I'm here. "Val looks quite well. Don't worry, he's still sleeping, or at least he was when I was up there." This only provoked her further. She threw her mace again with the same results as before. "Oh, almost got me that time. You aim is getting better," he teased as he tapped her on the top of her head with his staff. She threw her mace for a third time. He teleported, appearing under the table next to the quivering girl. As he turned to look her over, he was suddenly hit by something. "Owe," he mumbled as he caught the object that had bounced off his forehead in his hand...an acorn? He peered at the girl through one open eye. She tossed a second one at him but he caught it. "Now that's not very nice," he chided.  
  
"Neither are you," she retorted.  
  
He smiled brighter, both eyes closed again. "Oh, so you noticed." He reached out to try and grab her, but Xaina quickly scrambled away from him and ran to the other side of the room. Does she think I can't get her over there? he wondered. Something in the back of his mind said he was missing something...crack! A sudden sharp blow on the back of his head sent him flying across the room. He teleported instantly after he felt the blow to avoid crashing in to the wall.  
  
"Alright! You got him!" Xaina cheered as Xellos reappeared right up next to the ceiling, rubbing the back of his head.  
  
"I know," Filia replied, somewhat shocked. "I got him. I got him!"  
  
"Only because I let you," he pouted.  
  
"What's going on in here?!" an all too familiar voice shouted as she came running into the room. Both sorceress and swordsman looked less then happy about the noise.  
  
"She hit the creepy monster guy," Xaina reported as she pointed up at Xellos.  
  
"I'm a creepy monster guy?" the purple hair monster questioned in a rather disappointed voice.  
  
Lina and Gourry both peered up at Xellos. "Oh," Lina sighed bitterly. "It's you..."  
  
"Were you hoping for someone else?" he questioned, not liking this new effect he was having. He far preferred for them to be weary or angry, not annoyed or proud that they hit him. Stupid dragon, he mentally scorned.  
  
"What do you want, you filthy monster!?" Filia barked as she brandished her mace at him.  
  
Xellos put on his usual mischievous grin, and replied, "To bring a gift to little Val, of course. Am I not aloud to give him something for his second birthday?"  
  
Filia glared at him. "And what do you want from me in return?"  
  
"Nothing, nothing at all," he beamed. He turned his palm up and produced a hand sized green ball out of thin air. "I think he might like it. I wasn't sure. I don't really buy gifts for babies much." No one could tell if he was being honest or just toying with them. He dropped it. Filia easily caught it and looked it over to be sure it wouldn't cause the young dragon harm or had been spelled in anyway. It seemed like an ordinary wooden ball that wouldn't splinter. She blessed it just to be sure. "Don't you trust me?" he teased while still keeping out of her reach.  
  
"No," the golden dragon spat. "If this so much as..."  
  
"It's just a normal ball," Xellos replied, now getting annoyed with her. Now she was just plain insulting him. See if I ever try to be friendly to you again! he thought. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Xaina staring at him...no, not him, his staff. She seemed very interested in it. When he looked fully at her, she quickly looked away and pretended to be interested in the ball Filia was holding across the room. His smile somehow became bigger. "I brought something for you too, Xaina." The girl jumped at the mention of her name.  
  
"And who told you my name?" she demanded arrogantly. She was trying to hide her sudden discomfort brought on by him. Lie all you want, little one; I'll still be able to read your fear, he thought at her, though he knew she wouldn't hear it.  
  
"He probably sat by listening to us when we didn't know it," Lina sighed, knowing some things about him all too well.  
  
Xellos just smiled and held up his palm again as a small object appeared out of thin air. It was a purple band of sturdy violet cloth matching the color of the girl's eyes with a silver bell on it. Her eyes are the same color as mine, he mused. He floated down slowly, trying to show her he wouldn't hurt her but she shrank back a little from him anyway. He took her small hand in his, making note of all the tiny bones he could distinctly feel, and slipped it on her wrist. She stared at in curiously as it shrunk to perfectly fit her wrist. "It's a bracelet," he explained, his eyes now open and staring into hers. "It will always fit to the size of your wrist, no matter how big or small." He let go and she didn't move. The familiar, child-like grin reappeared on his face. "Don't you like it?"  
  
Xaina started out of her shocked state and examined the bracelet, keeping her eyes away from his. The bell jingled as her hand moved. "Thank you," she muttered. "You brought our stuff back, didn't you?"  
  
"Why, of course. How did you guess that?"  
  
"What!?!" Lina roared from across the room. "You were there!?! And you didn't help us!?!" Xellos spied over in the sorceress' direction. She looked like she was about to literally burst into flames. She balled her hands into fists as she stomped over to him. How entertaining, he teased in his mind. This is turning out far more worthwhile then I had thought.  
  
"Is something the matter, Lina?" he said in a mock concerned voice.  
  
"If you were there last night, why didn't you help us!?!"  
  
"That's a secret," he responded, teleporting out of the room. he reappeared in Val's room where he was sleeping quite happily in his small crib. He was curled up in a ball with his feathered wings curled up around his tiny dragon body. It was almost hard to believe that something this small would grow up to be even bigger then Filia. He poked the baby a few times, whispering, "Wake up Val. It's time to get up and start crying. I need you to make a little distraction for me..." The baby's little black eyes fluttered open slowly. The second he spotted Xellos standing over him, Val began to cry. Xellos teleported back down in the room where everyone else had been in before, standing on the small table. "Oh, my, it seems Val's awake. Perhaps you should go take care of him, Filia," the monster sighed.  
  
Filia glared at him. She knew he had awaken up her adopted son, even if he did try and play innocent. She didn't bother to say anything to him. She had long since learned it was useless to try and insult him. The dragon straightened her posture to look as tall and proud as possible, turned sharply, and left the room. Gourry watched her, silently. He wasn't exactly confused, he just didn't know what to say. Xellos would have preferred it was Lina who had been quiet, but hey, you can't be choosy about you friends/toys/meals, now can you.  
  
"Now," the violet haired priest commented as he set down his staff while jumping off the table, "Let's see just what Filia has been up to for the past two and a half years, shall we." He glanced at Xaina and gave her a small wink before teleporting out into the main shop room.  
  
"Hey, Xellos, I don't think Filia would like you touching her things," Gourry commented walking to where Xellos had reappeared. The monster was examining a finely painted tea cup with golden dragons on it.  
  
"Come back here, Xellos!" Lina half screeched as she dashed out of the room after him.  
  
"Xellos! Put that down!" Filia screeched as she came tromping back down the stairs with Val in her arms. He had stopped crying but was now sniffling and hiccuping.  
  
"As you wish," he happily replied as he shot her an evil smile. Horror spread over the blond's face as he let the precious china that she had spent hours upon hours painting go. It shattered in to a hundred pieces on the floor with a terrible clack.  
  
"Xellos!!!" she roared, sending Val into another fit of sobs.  
  
~*~*~  
  
Xaina winced as the cup hit the floor. She peered out the doorway of the side room she was in to get a look at just what the monster had broken. The baby black colored dragon was crying again and Filia looked ready to kill Xellos. At the monster's feet were the remnants of a once beautiful tea cup. Filia wont dare use her mace out there, Xaina concluded in her mind, He may just get away with that.  
  
Her eyes darted back to the staff. He'd left it there. In the back of her mind, she knew better then to go anywhere near it, but sheer curiosity kept her close. That red orb was so familiar. She glanced back out at Xellos. Was he been the one from the other night? Had he tried to take her away before? She looked back at the staff. I need a better look, she decided.  
  
She tottered over to the table and climbed back on, sitting with her knees tucked under her. From where she was, it looked like a normal staff with a blood red jewel embedded in the end. It wasn't glowing like the one before had been. Perhaps if I pick it up... she thought. She reached out to grab it, but hesitated. Bells sounded off in her mind, warning of danger. This was not a good idea. This wasn't safe...and yet...he wouldn't notice, would he? Not if she just picked it up for a moment. He wasn't even paying attention. He was too busy annoying Filia and getting yelled at by Lina to notice.  
  
Her hand shook a little until it rested on the cool wood. A serge of unfamiliar energy ran through her hand as she touched it. She lifted it. The staff was surprisingly light weight and she could lift it with no trouble at all. The wood was hard, unlike any she had ever seen before. It could take a lot of force without breaking. Her hand traced over the surface of the smooth orb. It was warm to the touch and she could feel a magic of some sort coming from it. It was odd, sort of dark, though not unpleasant. The power was intoxicating, hypnotizing....  
  
~*~*~  
  
Xellos snatched up yet another delicate cup. This one was painted with a cobalt net and gold flowers on the intersections. The pure, raw hatred foaming off her was perfect. He couldn't have asked for anything better. She always was his favorite pet. I'll have to pay her more visits when all is done with, he played with the idea in his mind.  
  
"Why, Filia, this one has to be the nicest one you have here in this little store of yours," he commented, pretending to look over the cup.  
  
Filia growled. "Put that down, you filthy monster! On the shelf!" she added so he wouldn't drop this one on the floor too. He teleported across the room, floating in the air, and set the cup high up on a shelf the dragon maiden kept her most expensive things on that was out of her reach. He fiddled with it, pretending to try and place it where it would look best among all the other things she had. "What're you doing!?!"  
  
"I thought it would look nicer up here," he smirked. "Don't you like it?"  
  
"Put it back!" she wailed.  
  
"But it looks better here," he mock protested. "Really, Filia, you should lighten up. I do have quite an eye for design."  
  
"Put it back!!"  
  
There was a slight tug in the back of Xellos' mind. His staff had been moved. Got ya, he though triumphantly. "Oh, all right." He waved one finger and the tea cup teleported back to where it was unharmed. He rubbed a hand behind his head and sighed. "My, my, would you look at the time. I really should be going. Perhaps we'll meet again later...oh, and Lina, thanks for the lovely parting gift." Lina stared at him, completely confused. He held out both his hands, calling his staff back to him. In one hand appeared the staff; in the other was Xaina. "I do appreciate it." On instinct, Xaina instantly tried to jerk out of his grasp.  
  
"Xaina!" Lina cried as the monster and girl disappeared. "Xellos! Bring her back!" Lina snapped. "Xellos!"  
  
"Guh! What's he doing!?!" Gourry yelled out. Filia just stared in shock, still supporting Val in one arm. None of them know...good, he concluded in his mind while still keeping a firm hand on the squirming girl before completely leaving the location. 


	7. The Lord of Beasts

Chap 7 - The Lord of Beasts  
  
A feeling of dread filled Xaina's whole body as she felt herself fading from the safe reaches of Lina and Gourry. She tried to call out to them, but they hadn't heard her and then...and then it all turned black, but only for a second or two. Then it was lighter...  
  
The girl snapped out of Xellos' grasp by slapping him as hard as she could. He dropped her on the floor...the cold, stone floor. Xaina scrambled up to her feet, terror running through her veins, never taking her eyes off the monster. He dropped on one knee and bowed his head.  
  
"This is the girl, Lord," he stated coldly. The smile was gone from his face.  
  
"Good," a female voice replied from behind Xaina. The black haired girl whirled around, almost tripping over her own two feet as she did so. Sitting in a large throne was a woman unlike any Xaina had seen before. She was tall, thin, almost perfect in appearance, but she wore very small, revealing clothing that the girl knew her mother had told her only women who should be avoided wear. Her dark eyes that stared down at the girl had the look of a hungry scavenger on an old carcass. All around her were wolves, some sitting, some laying down, but all with green eyes focused on the child. Normally, she wasn't afraid of wolves, but something about them seemed strange and frightening to her.  
  
Xaina backed away from her, but then remembered who was behind her and stopped. she hurriedly searched the room for an escape route, but saw nothing but a large, heavy wooden door she doubted she would be able to move, and a few glass doors that led to a balcony. Outside, the moon shone over what looked to be an elaborate garden covered in a thin mist. They seemed to be on the third floor of a balcony. She couldn't jump down from here.  
  
"Wh-what do you w-want?" Xaina studdered.  
  
The woman's bright red lips curled up in an almost sinister smile. "Hello Xaina," she responded.  
  
"H-how do you know m-my name?"  
  
"Xellos told me, of course." Xaina glanced back at Xellos who half smiled. "You can leave now, Xellos. I have no more use for you at the moment." Xellos didn't move. "I said you can go," she sighed irritably.  
  
"I know," he replied respectfully, "But I'd rather stay, if it is all the same with you."  
  
The woman's smile grew bigger, far more amused. "Afraid I'll lay claim to your tiny toy."  
  
"Not at all." His violet eyes found their way up to gaze upon the woman.  
  
"Then what keeps you here."  
  
He twiddled his fore finger and winked at her. "That's a secret."  
  
"Should have know," the woman sighed again.  
  
Xaina, meanwhile, had tried to draw in on herself and pulled her hands up in a tangled ball to cover her heart as if she were going to pray. Praying was not something that came naturally to her, but the thought of doing so had crossed her mind. She watched the wolves far more carefully then the woman or Xellos. Wolves were not normally dangerous, but there had to be at least ten of them, maybe more, and that could easily have spelled out the end of her life if they chose to make a meal out of her.  
  
"Come here, Xaina," the woman said coldly, drawing the girl's focus back on her. Xaina held back. "I wont bite," she teased. "At least, I haven't yet." Xaina's eyes flickered to the wolves and back to the woman. Sensing part of what was wrong, the woman stated, "They wont attack either...not unless I tell them to, anyway. Now come here." Still, Xaina didn't move. She was paralyzed by fear. The woman sighed. "Xellos."  
  
Xellos hesitated, Xaina quickly noticed. He seemed almost nervous about something...but Lina had said monsters don't feel emotions like people did. How could he be nervous? After a few tense moments and a glare from the woman, Xellos complied and took hold of the girl.  
  
"No!" Xaina cried as he lifted her in the air. She struggled and kicked but it was no good. He held her at a long enough distance away that she couldn't reach him. He dropped her in the woman's lap, where a pair of slender, sleek hands with bright red nails took hold of her. One wrapped around the girl's back while the other rested on her knees to keep her from kicking. Xaina went stiff all over, petrified. Her nostrils were assaulted with the familiar scents of liquor and cigarettes. Xaina's aunt had smoked and drank a lot, so she knew the smell well.  
  
"There, now that's better," the woman commented. Sensing the girl wouldn't move, she lifted her hand from the girl's knees and brushed some of the tangled ebony hair back out of the girl's eyes. "Hello, Xaina. Do you know who I am." Xaina tried to form words in her mouth and she could hear herself saying them in her mind, but no sound came out. Panicking, she shook her head. "I am Zelas Metallium, Lord Beastmaster of the monster race. are you hungry? I know that teleporting like that can sometimes shred off energy. Would you like something to eat?" she asked in an almost motherly tone.  
  
*****  
  
Lina slammed her fits on the front counter in Filia's store. It was all she could do. With no way to track Xellos, it was pointless in leaving her looking for him and Xaina. It was so frustrating. she was the great Lina Inverse! The bandit killer! The slayer of dark lords! The killer of Darkstar! No one stole from her! No one! How could she have not seen it? How could she not have known? She repeated these questions in her mind over and over again. The way he had looked at her...hadn't it been obvious that he was after her? He had tried to win her over. She was going to rip in to a million pieces with her own bare hands! If one hair on her head is so much as out of place, she mentally swore, that worthless monster won't live to tell about it.  
  
Filia rocked Val gently in her arms. He had stopped crying but was still upset. He seemed to know something was wrong. She hadn't said much for the past two hours, since Xellos had stolen Xaina. Gourry had been the same way. He watched Lina with great concern, knowing he felt the same she did.  
  
"Damn it!" Lina swore for the tenth time in the past five minutes. "Damn it Xellos! Come back here you coward!" She knew he wasn't there and couldn't hear her, but that didn't stop her from yelling. It was all she could do now.  
  
*****  
  
The girl shook her head. She had yet to speak, something that annoyed Zelas. Perhaps she wasn't the one...The Lord of beasts glared at her general/priest. He didn't move, but averted his eyes. She knew he wouldn't betray her, but he had lied over this child already and he may very well do something he would regret for this strange girl. She really wished she had had a drink before commanding him to bring the girl here. She turned her attention back to the girl. She was a small child, very thin and small, though Lina Inverse seemed to have been trying to rid the girl of that. She was very clean and smelled faintly of flowers and clay. No doubt from that little dragon's shop, she had concluded. The girl's eyes were a brilliant violet, much like Xellos' and her own. Her hair was jet black and very soft, which Zelas guessed she probably got from her mother.  
  
"Alright then, if you're not hungry, then perhaps we could just talk. What's your full name? I only know your first," she questioned patiently. The girl didn't make any sort of response at all. She didn't even move. she was too terrified. She shot another look at Xellos. "I know your not mute. I heard you yell before. Come now, I'm not going to bite." She rubbed a hand gentle across the child's cheek, trying to calm her. "I promise, I wont hurt you. I never intended to harm you." She caught the slight relaxation in Xellos' stiff form.  
  
There was a long pause and the room was almost dead silent. "Xaina Nanse Fenrie." Xaina's voice was so quite that it was barely heard.  
  
"What was that?" Zelas demanded.  
  
"Xaina Nanse Fenrie," she repeated a little louder while looking down at her hands resting in her lap.  
  
"Xaina Ann Fenrie," the lord repeated to herself, testing the sound of the words. "I see. Alright, Xaina Fenrie, how old are you?" The girl held up four fingers, her eyes never leaving her lap. "Only four? You said she was older!" she snapped to Xellos.  
  
"I said she acted older then she was," he corrected. She sneered, knowing he was probably right.  
  
She turned back to the child that rested on her lap. "Xaina, look at me," she commanded. The girl shook her head, closing her eyes as she did so. Xaina was near in tears from terror. She was so far past the point of fear that even the monster lord was feeling sorry for the poor girl. She had told Xellos to bring her willingly for this exact reason. Alright, perhaps it's time for a little bribery, she thought. She snapped her fingers and just in front of the girl appeared a worn, gray stuffed wolf toy.  
  
"Booie!" Xaina cried and seized the toy from the air, clutching it against her body like letting it go meant death.  
  
"Booie? Is that's it's name?"  
  
"Yes," the girl whispered. A single tear slipped down Xaina's cheek. The fear had boiled up and let lose in several tears that welled up in her eyes.  
  
"Well, he's a fine animal. I've always loved wolves myself. That's why I keep a pack here with me." Zelas gestured towards the wolves at her feet. She gave a pat to the alpha female who was sitting just to the monster's left. "My island is even named after them: Wolf Pack Island. That's where we are right now. Do like wolves, Xaina?" The girl nodded. "Good. I couldn't live with someone who didn't like wolves."  
  
The sudden jerk of the girl's movements caught Zelas off guard. Xaina tumbled off the woman's lap and on to the stone floor, hitting with a hard thump. All the wolves leapt up and began circling the girl. Several of them growled. Xaina scrambled back, only to have her back pressed up against the woman's chair. Zelas flicked her wrist a couple of times and the wolves back down and settled into their places before. She grabbed the girl by the back of the shirt and cape, lifting her off the ground and making the girl look her in the eyes.  
  
"I suggest not doing that again," she commented. "Usually when I drop something, it means they get something special to eat." She set the girl back on her lap, keeping a firmer grip on her this time. Zelas wasn't about to let this child get away so easily. Xellos seemed nervous again. "Now look at me, Xaina." The girl didn't. She was focused on her lap again. Zelas slipped her fingers under the girl's chin and made her look up in the monster's eyes. "Do you know why you were brought here?"  
  
"To kill me," Xaina meekly replied.  
  
"What makes you think that?"  
  
"That's what everyone else..."  
  
"I'm not everyone else," Zelas hissed. Xaina flinched when she did so. Zelas sighed. Scaring the girl further would not do her any good. "You are very important, Xaina. You are not like the others, and the frightens many of my people."  
  
"What others?" Xaina weakly demanded, gaining a little confidence.  
  
"All the others. Your not the first..."  
  
"First what?"  
  
"What do you mean first what!?" Zelas snapped in annoyance. She really had little experience with children and it showed.  
  
"She doesn't know," Xellos stated. "She hasn't been told. Her mother didn't tell her before she died."  
  
A flash of anger passed over the woman's face. No wonder she was so frightened. She hadn't even any notion of what was happening around her. She sighed. Xaina had to know, or more trouble could be done then harm.  
  
"Well, that explains a lot," she snorted. She turned back down to the terrified girl. "Well, then I suppose I should start explaining this to you then. Now relax, you'll be here for a while." She released hold of Xaina's chin, letting the girl's gaze fall back to her lap where she was still clutching hard to the toy wolf. "Xaina, you're not human..." She paused, waiting for the girl's response to this information. She had expected the girl to deny it outright, but no resistance came. "Not fully human anyway. Your mother was human, and that makes you part, but your stronger half is not..." Again, she paused. Still, the girl offered no response at all. Aside from her breathing, she barely moved. Zelas wondered if she was even listening. "In your veins flows the blood of a very powerful monster, though, for the moment, it's best that you not concern yourself with who. He's not important. The fact was, only a handful of monsters knew you existed, not that we would normally care  
since half breeds with most other beings always turn out to be mortals like their mortal parent. However, the ones who knew of your existence, Xellos being among them, quickly noticed of the power you possessed. Your monster blood was stronger then your human."  
  
"Which was why we suppressed it and made sure you appeared to be human," Xellos commented.  
  
Zelas glared at him, scowling as she added in, "And never once mentioned anything about your power to their lord, even lying to her when she asked." Xellos winced slightly. Good, she thought, He deserves some discomfort. "Which of course they are going to be paying a high price for later." She looked back at the girl and smiled again. "Though they kept a good eye on you and prevented harm from coming to you. There are monsters who are afraid of you, if you haven't figured out. This, a half breed like you, has never had power before and no is sure how strong you will get. This frightens most of them. Some of them want to kill you. No doubt you've been attacked many times in your life." The girl nodded. "And a wolf always protected you, didn't it?" The girl nodded again. "Yes, Syrin is a good girl, even when she's being used by others." Again she glared at Xellos briefly, while one hand gently stroked the alpha female again. "You've attracted a lot of attention lately, my dear  
girl, now that you've been wondering around and the suppressor spells are wearing off."  
  
"Shame you didn't just come with me when I bought you from that sniveling woman who had you when your mother died," Xellos grumbled. Xaina became a little more stiff.  
  
Some of this new knowledge was shocking to Xaina and the girl needed some time to think about it, Zelas was certain of that. "You're safe here, child. Now, get some rest. You must be tired. Xellos, take her to your room and put her to bed. Return to me when you're done." She held the girl out.  
  
Xellos easily took hold of the girl, cradling her close to him, and bowed. "Yes master." Then, he disappeared. When he was gone, she leaned on the plush arm of her chair, putting her chin in her palm, and sighed. There was still far too much planning to be done...  
  
*****  
  
Why exactly she had wanted Xaina in his room, Xellos wasn't sure, but he knew better then to question Lord Beastmaster. He gently set Xaina down on his soft bed covered in purple silk sheets. Xaina was still dazed from everything that had happened and made no attempts to try and run from him. Instead, she just sat there, motionless. He didn't like her like this. He was so use to seeing her happy, laughing, playing. Even if he got nothing from seeing her jumping around like a wild four year old should, he still preferred her that way.  
  
Through all the years he had watched her, he had only once ever seen her like this before and that was when her mother had died. That had left a scar on the child that would last all her life. It was on that day that she had become so quiet and withdrawn much of the time. Lina had changed that somehow, even if not much. Being ripped from someone who cared so much for her again didn't seem fair. It's for the best, he tied to remind himself. She can't spend the rest of her life pretending to be human... especially with the suppressing spell breaking down. She needs training. She'll have time to play...just, later.  
  
He brushed his fingers through her hair. "Here we are," he said softly, smiling as usual. He was hoping that might ease her fear. It didn't. "You don't mind sleeping in your clothes, do you? I think going back to Filia's to get some of your things might result in my death," he laughed.  
  
"Then take me back," she whispered. Her voice held no emotion at all. It, somehow, sent a shiver down his spin to hear her so cold.  
  
"I can't," he admitted in a more serious voice. He leaned down and looked carefully at her face with open eyes. "I know this is confusing, Xaina. I know you want to go back and stay with Lina and Gourry. You have no reason to want to leave them. They took good care of you. But you can't stay with them forever. You're not like them." She stared at him with expressionless eyes. "Don't worry," he smiled in his attempt to calm her. "You'll see them again real soon. We just have to work a few things out with the other monster lords. I promise. Once this is all taken care of, we'll go back and see them, and Filia too. Maybe we can rearrange that little shop of her's while she's sleeping..."  
  
"I don't think she'd like that," Xaina commented, trying to suppress a smile.  
  
"Of course she wont. That's why we should do it," he said a little more mischievously. "After all, I am the trickster priest. I can't just appear with out some mischief in mind." He picked her up and scooted her to the head of the bed. He unhooked her cape and tossed it over a chair in the corner. He pulled back some of the sheets and pulled them over her. "Now get some sleep."  
  
"I'm not tired, though. It feels like the middle of the day even though it's dark out," she said, pointing to the glass door that led to the garden. Sure enough, it was dark. He'd forgotten about the time differences between the two places. She was right for not being tired. She had just had lunch no more then an hour ago.  
  
"Then just lay there and be quiet," he sighed. "Think about what Zelas and I told you, ok?"  
  
"Kay," she sighed, laying down. "Hey, Xellos?" she called just as he was about to leave.  
  
"Yes?" he sighed.  
  
"If monsters don't sleep, then why do you have a bed?"  
  
Xellos smiled and twiddled a finger. "That's a secret." The he disappeared.  
  
He reappeared in front of Lord Beastmaster and bowed, per usual. You never appeared before her without bowing unless you were another lord. He'd already been on thin ice with her for the past few weeks and he didn't need to cause anymore trouble...with her anyway. In one hand she held a glass of fine wine which she seemed to be studying.  
  
"Is she asleep?" the monster lord asked.  
  
"No, but she wont be a problem," Xellos replied, standing up again.  
  
"Good. She needs to stay put."  
  
There was a long silence and she took a sip of the wine. "You don't think they'll agree to you keeping her, do you?"  
  
"Of course not!" she snapped. The recent events were wearing on her, though Xellos didn't know quite why. He knew she kept things from him and he was pretty sure she was keeping something very important this time. "Dolphin has never exactly gotten along with me, and well, we all know how Dynest will react. He already thinks we're all out to get rid of him, and knowing that you kept HER from them wont help. Then there's Vereus. The little twit doesn't know the first thing about anything. He's a poor replacement for Phabrizzo. I don't know how he was selected. He never even served under the over grown brat." She chuckled slightly to herself. "He even tried to kill her. Fool. Ignorant fool; that's all he is." She looked down at her priest. "They'll all try and claim her, you know."  
  
"I know," he sighed.  
  
"They'll take you're little toy." An evil smile spread over her face. "And what will you do when they try?"  
  
"IF they try, then I'll just have to kill them," he answered without hesitation.  
  
Lord Beastmaster laughed outright. "You will kill them? That's the most amusing thing I've heard in quite a while. And why would you TRY and kill them? YOU have nothing to gain from her life."  
  
Xellos paused, thinking about his response. He really didn't know why he had thought he would do that. He knew he couldn't let any of the other lords have her, but then again, he didn't really like the idea of his own lord having control over her. He would not have brought her if he hadn't been forced. "I'm not sure," he finally answered. "I have little to gain from her life, true, but I can't let any lord have or kill her."  
  
"Good," she sighed, looking back at her wine. "Make sure you keep it that way."  
  
"Master...?"  
  
"Don't let anyone have her." She took another sip of her wine. "I wont you to teach her to use her powers. Make sure she trusts you. I don't want her making any attempts to leave. If they should try and take her by force, they'll have the hardest time doing it here." She looked back at him with a cold, determined stare that sent a slight shiver through him. "DON'T let anyone harm her, Xellos. That's an order."  
  
Now he was certain there was much more to this then she was letting on. "Yes master." He would settle for being in the dark, for now anyway. He would find out the rest on his own if she did not tell him. He always did.  
  
"You can go. I need time to think...I only have two days...And so do you. She needs to be convincing..." she sighed, focused back on her wine again. He nodded and disappeared. "Only two days..." she repeated to herself. 


	8. Birds in the Maze

Chap 8 - Birds in the Maze  
  
Xaina laid on her side in the bed for a long time thinking...Mostly she thought about her mother. "You're not like other children, Xaina baby," her mother use to say. "You are destined for greater things. I see it in the cards." Her mother was a fortune teller and healer...mother...oh how she missed her mother. She clutched Booie closer to her body. She had been so thin when she died...she had been so pale...everyone had cried. She had said the gods were kind to those who worshipped and did good things...she had said they only punished the bad...then why had she died. Xaina could never remember a time when her mother wasn't helping people. So why had she died? It didn't make sense. She felt a few tears swell in her eyes.  
  
Nothing makes sense, the girl reminded herself. Lina said monsters don't have feelings...good feelings, anyway. They only do things that help themselves. Filia said the same thing. She looked at her hands. They didn't looked like a monster's hands. They looked human. Then again, Xellos and Zelas looked human and they weren't. She sat up, brushing some of the tears out of her eyes. Then she inspected the moisture on her hands. "If I'm a monster, then why would I be crying?" she pondered aloud. "Monsters don't cry. They have no reason to cry. They don't feel sadness."  
  
"What makes you think that?"  
  
Xaina started, catching her breath in her throat. She turned to see Xellos sitting in the chair by the glass doors, moonlight falling on his face. His usual smile was worn on his face. A sense of anger at being spied on replaced her fear. She folded her arms together, turned up her nose, and closed her eyes bitterly. "You shouldn't ease drop."  
  
"You look just like your mother when you do that," he happily said. The statement caught her off guard, and she looked over at him, confused.  
  
"And what would you know about her?"  
  
"You didn't think I didn't watch you and her, now did you?" She was silent. She refused to look at him. Instead she focused her attention to the garden outside. "I didn't make her sick, if that's what you think..."  
  
"I wasn't," she stated coldly.  
  
"She just got sick. There was nothing more to it. Some people just get sick, Xai...do you mind if I call you Xai?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Oh..." The smile fell into a confused frown. This wasn't getting him anywhere. "Well, alright, Xaina it is, if you prefer."  
  
"I do."  
  
"Ok." The room was dark which he quickly picked up was probably not something she was use to. He glanced at several of the candles in the room and the lit. "There, a little light should make things better." In the light he could see the tears she still held back in her eyes. "What were you crying over?"  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"Liar." He walked over to the bed and sat next to her. He reached down to brush the tears that were now tracing down her cheeks away but she flinched back. "I'm not going to hurt you. I know Filia probably told you some horror stories about us monsters, many about me I'm sure, and even though most of them are true and not all that much exaggerated, you shouldn't let them scare you."  
  
"She didn't tell me any, actually," Xaina replied. How she kept her voice from quivering or becoming weak, he wasn't sure.  
  
"Oh...well then forget I said anything." There was a long pause again. Neither of them had any idea what to say. She was still to scared of him to say anything and he just didn't know what to do with children. Granted, he had been watching her all of her life, but that didn't mean that he really know all that much about her. He had only stopped by on occasion to asses her power, not get to know her. He racked his brain for something to say or do, but nothing came to mind.  
  
Xaina just sat, looking at the garden. She had no interest in it; she just didn't want to see him. She didn't know why she didn't want to look at him, she just didn't. He kidnapped you, a voice in the back of her mind chided. You have every right to be angry with him. He had no right to take you. He had no right to try and buy you. She blindly reached down and grabbed Booie, hugging him close again.  
  
Spotting the toy, Xellos got an idea. "Stay here. I'll be right back." He disappeared again. Xaina watched him go in half disbelief. Stay here? Where else was she going to go?  
  
*****  
  
Xellos reappeared and instantly regretted it as a mace came flying straight for him. He dodged as Filia screeched with anger. He could hear Val start crying again. He took a glance around, noting Filia on one side of Val's cradle, Val siting inside, with Lina and Gourry no where in sight.  
  
"XELLOS!" the dragon roared. "Lina! Gourry!"  
  
"Calm down, Filia. I just need to borrow a few things..."  
  
Lina came charging in the room and dove for the monster. There was a bloodthirsty look in her eyes. It was the look that said she was not only going to kill him but she was going to do it in the slowest, worst possible way she could think of. He dodged again. It really wasn't all that hard. A sword went through his gut. He spied over his shoulder at Gourry.  
  
"Is this suppose to hurt?" the monster asked, pointing at the plain blade sticking in him. A look of disbelief, shock, and disappointment all in one came over the mercenary as he pulled the blade out. "You should know normal swords don't work on me."  
  
"No, but I do!" Xellos turned to late as Lina pounced on him. She wrapped an arm around his neck in an attempt to strangle him.  
  
"No, Lina use this!" Filia cried as she held out her mace.  
  
Xellos growled in frustration. This wasn't going to get him anywhere. Taking a firm hold of Lina's arm that was around his neck (and thanking the Golden Lord for not making him need to breath), he teleported both of them out of the room. He reappeared on the roof and dropped Lina there. It would keep her occupied for a few minutes.  
  
"Sorry, Lina, but you need to stay out of this for once," he commented before teleporting back inside. This time, however, he went into the shop room. He picked out a particularly nice vase and held it gently. "Oh Filia, Gourry," he called loudly. He put on his usual face as he heard them scrambling down the stairs.  
  
"Drop it, namagomi!" Filia screeched.  
  
"As you wish," he replied evilly.  
  
"No!" Filia cried but it was too late. The beautiful vase shattered on the ground.  
  
Seizing the moments distraction, the monster teleported back up to Val's room. "You don't mind if I borrow a few things, do you?" he asked the worn out little dragon. Val watched him but didn't start crying again, which the monster was very grateful for. Xellos looked around the room quickly, trying to find something that would work well and he could use...ah, those would do. He motioned to a little box filled with blocks of wood cut into various shapes and it came to him. That looked good too. He pointed to a little wooden house and several small people dolls. It came to him. One more... ...perfect! He pointed to the wooden tea set. This would do. "Tell Filia I'll return these later," he explained to the baby, then disappeared.  
  
He teleported back to his room on Wolf Pack Island and set the toys down on the bed. His smile faded when he noticed she wasn't in sight. Now where has she gone? he wondered. The doors are locked... He looked in the armoire, but she wasn't there. Nothing was in there. Perhaps under the bed... He lifted the covers but saw nothing but darkness. Alright, where else... He was beginning to worry. He hadn't even had his orders for very long and he'd already messed something up. He didn't like this. He wasn't use to making mistakes. he rarely, if ever, made them.  
  
"Alright, Xaina. This game isn't funny anymore," he stated. He paused, waiting for her to come out. Nothing moved. "I give up. You're a better hide and seek player... ... ... That's enough, Xaina! I don't wanna play right now!" There still was no movement. Getting slightly frustrated, he decided to check the doors. The one out to the hall was locked. The one to the garden was not. That was odd. "I'm sure I locked it..."  
  
*****  
  
Crickets were chirping. The fog was getting thicker. She was lost, even if she didn't want to admit it. "Just a little further," Xaina whispered to herself. She turned around a corner to the endless pathway made by the hedges. She faulted and collapsed on the ground, never losing hold of Booie. She wanted to scream. There was the same small maker she had made with a few stone pebbles. She just gone in a circle. "It's not fair!" she cried. "I wanna go back to Filia's!" She struck her fists in the grass a few times before burying her face in her hands.  
  
Something fluttered near by. Xaina jerked her head up, scanning the darkness. She could barely see six feet in front of herself. Suddenly, something moved. There was a rustle of cloth, like a cape blowing in the wind...but there was no wind at all. Her violet eyes searched more frantically this time for the unseen watcher. There was another flutter, like wings of birds.  
  
She jumped back as something white landed in front of her. It was a bird. It looked sort of like a raven, only white with violet eyes. It stared at her, as if trying to say something it couldn't. It made a shrill caw at her and hopped a little closer. Xaina was frozen on the spot. It cawed again and hopped in place. The girl held out an arm to it but it jumped out of her reach. It cawed more urgently this time. It hopped a little closer and then hopped back. It cawed once more.  
  
"I don't speak bird," she informed it as she got up and dusted herself off. It cawed. "Yes, yes, I know. I heard you the first time." She walked over to it and kneeled down, hugging her knees. She held out one hand to it. "What? Are you a monster too?" It cawed and hopped back a few paces. She sprang up and walked a followed it. When she got close to it, the bird fluttered several feet away to where she could just barely see it through the fog. She trotted up to it, clutching Booie with one hand by one of the toy's legs that had been sewn up several times. The bird suddenly took into full flight. "Wait!" she cried out as she chased after it.  
  
The girl ran around several of the hedges, following to bird along a twisted path. Where it was taking her, she didn't know. She was already lost, so she didn't care where it took her. She couldn't get any more lost then she already was. The half moon provided the only light in the maze of plants for her. It took her around a corner, then another, and another...Where are we going? she wondered. She ran around another turn where she had seen it disappear and stopped.  
  
She was in a large clearing in the maze with an old gnarled tree in the middle. The branches had almost no leaves and looked like twisted fingers reaching for the sky. The roots stuck out of the ground as if the whole tree was getting ready to climb out of the ground. A slight gust rattled the branches and the whole tree creaked and moaned in protest. A lone figure leaned against the tree, a black silhouetted against the pale green hedges. Three birds loomed on a branch just above the being: one black, one blue, one gold, and all looking like ravens. The white bird had landed the staff the stranger was holding. Long strands of black hair blew in the small breeze. A long cape twisted around the stranger. Xaina could make out no features on the person. Her voice was gone. Her heart beat in her ears and her breath became short. The area felt like it had just dropped ten degrees. She could see her breath, even in the fog, which was thinner here. All four birds suddenly took  
flight and the being walked behind the tree, the birds close behind, and disappeared. The wind died away.  
  
After several moments of being rooted to the spot, Xaina finely remembered she could move. She took several hesitant steps toward the tree. She peered around behind it...nothing. She walked a full circle around it twice, hopping over the roots...nothing. The stranger was gone. Feeling exhausted, she found a sung spot between the roots and plopped down. She held Booie out and studied his face. The blue button eyes stared blankly back at her. "Hmm...don't think I'm asleep..." She clutched the toy close to her chest, and looked around the area. The fog was still there, the moon was still out, nothing seemed out of place. "I think I'm losing it, Booie. Maybe this is just all a bad dream. Maybe it'll go away." She hugged the stuffed animal and leaned against the tree, catching her breath a little. She was starting to feel tired now. She closed her eyes, relaxing a bit.  
  
She opened her eyes a few minutes later. Her eyes widened in shock as she looked down on a small line of wooden dolls standing if a half circle in front of her. They were just the right size to grab in her hand, though she knew better then to reach for them. "What the...?" she breathed and leaned in a little closer to them for a better look. "How..." she trailed off as all the miniature figures took a step forward, closing the half circle a little. Xaina squeaked and tried to scoot back, but was trapped against the tree. They took another step closer, then another, another, and another. She squeaked again, closing her eye and desperately wishing she could pass right through the tree...she suddenly tumbled onto the ground. She looked up and realized she was on the other side of the tree. Now she was really confused.  
  
"What? Don't you want to play?" a familiar voice teased. She looked up and saw Xellos hovering in the air, smiling with his eyes closed, as usual. She was beginning to get sick of that face.  
  
"That's not funny!" she snapped.  
  
"Really. I thought it was," he replied in good humor. He looked around the tree and the little dolls came stiffly walking around. "And I thought girls liked dolls."  
  
Xaina picked herself off the ground and glared at him. "Well I don't. Never have. And how'd you make me go through the tree?"  
  
"I didn't. You did." Noticing her baffled expression, he explained, "I told you the suppressors were wearing off. You'll be able to do more tricks like that in no time soon. I'll remove the rest of the spells tomorrow. You sure you don't want to play?" he asked pointing down at the dolls that had formed a straight line. "That is what I brought them here for. I have more toys back at the mansion...of course, if you're happy staying out here in the maze, then by all means..." he sighed as he started to leave.  
  
"No!" Xaina cried. "I don't wanna stay! I'll never find my way out! And I don't wanna meet the creepy person with the birds!" She was almost in tears at this point.  
  
A twinge of pity passed through Xellos. That was something new for him. He never felt pity for people. He floated down next to her and gathered her up in his arms. "What creepy person with the birds?" he asked, his voice full of concern, not just for the girl.  
  
She looked up, trying to hold the tears in. "There was some weird guy with four birds who was here. One of his birds brought me here and then he disappeared."  
  
"I see. Let's get back to the mansion." He picked up the wooden dolls and teleported them back to his room.  
  
*****  
  
"A person with birds?" Lord Beastmaster asked, one eyebrow raised.  
  
"That's what she said. I didn't see anyone when I found her, but she seemed to be quite sure of what she had seen," Xellos replied.  
  
"Could she be making it up?"  
  
Xellos shook his head. "She isn't one to make things like that up. Never that I've seen, anyway.  
  
Zelas took a puff from her cigarette. This didn't please her. "You know what this means."  
  
"We have a spy," Xellos replied. She nodded. "And if he comes back?"  
  
"Capture him. I want him alive if he shows up again."  
  
"Understood."  
  
"Good." She took another puff and made a ring with the smoke she blew out. When Xellos lingered, she turned back to him. "Is there something else."  
  
"Yes," he stated dryly. "I thought that perhaps Xaina might feel a little more comfortable here if she had her own room to claim and leave her things in."  
  
"Very well," she sighed. "Give her one of the guest rooms for now. If her stay here is made permanent, I'll arrange for it be her's."  
  
Xellos bowed and left. 


	9. Fun and Games

Chap 9 - Fun and Games  
  
"What are you doing?" Xellos asked as he appeared behind the girl, sitting himself on the bed.  
  
Xaina yelped, knocking over what she had been building with the wooden shapes. "Please don't do that?" she breathed out.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"It scares me, an' I don't like being scared," Xaina explained calmly.  
  
Xellos made a mental note of that. She needed time to get comfortable here and being started probably wouldn't help. "Ok. What are you doing?"  
  
Xaina glanced up at him from the floor. "Building with blocks," she shrugged.  
  
"Oh, so they're called blacks. Building what?" he asked, truly curious as to what she might think to make out of the colored pieces of wood.  
  
"Well, I was making a castle, but you knocked it down," she retorted. She was gathering up the pieces again.  
  
"Oh, and how did I knock it down?" Xellos quipped. He bent down a little, leaning on his staff. "I didn't touch it."  
  
"No, but you startled me when caused me to bump it and knock it over. Therefore, it's your fault."  
  
"Oh, is that so." The trickster motioned to the little wooden dolls he had been using before and made them walk over next to her. "Yeah, well, it wasn't a very good castle anyway. I bet my little soldiers here could take that mangy pile of rumble no problem."  
  
"Could not!" Xaina argued.  
  
"Oh yeah, and who's going to stop them. You don't even have a castle, let alone an army," Xellos teased.  
  
"Well, I will!" She grabbed one of the blocks and tossed it at the little people that were advancing on her pile. It struck, knocking down three of them. "Ha!"  
  
"Ah ah ah, not so fast." He pointed to the little fallen dolls who stood back up and started walking towards her again.  
  
"Not fair!" Xaina snapped.  
  
"Life's not fair. What're you going to do about it?" Xaina grabbed another block and tossed it at them, with the same results. "Keep that up and you wont have anything left to build with." A thought crossed Xellos' mind. Mentally, he reached out and touched the old spells he had placed on her. They were thin, at best. Some had come lose. Two were even gone. He poked at the spells until finely a few more gave way and started to dissipate. Now let's see just what you can do, he thought.  
  
Xaina tossed another block. The monster priest caught hold of it with his power and stopped it before it could hit any of the dolls. It dropped to the ground and the wooden figures kept moving forward.  
  
"Hey! Now that's just plain cheating. How can I stop you if I can't fight back," the child pointed out. She was starting to radiate frustration against the game.  
  
"You can fight back. You just need to figure out how. Imagine if this were a real battle and you're trying to protect the castle you are making. Those," he said, pointing to the dolls, "are the enemies. Do you think the enemy will simply stop doing something because you say it's not fair?"  
  
"No..."  
  
"Exactly. Now, you have no soldiers, so what do you do?"  
  
"Run," she stated rather bluntly. "I couldn't fight an army by myself."  
  
"Uh...well yes, that might be a good idea...but after that. What about when you want to take it back? You're not just going to give up are you?"  
  
"I can build my castle somewhere else."  
  
"What about when they want that land too? Are you just going to spend the rest of your life running?"  
  
"Well, no, I guess not."  
  
"Good," he replied cheerfully. The dolls had stopped moving to give her time to think. "Now, you want to fight, so what do you do? How do you fight them?"  
  
"Get my own army?" she asked rather uncertainly as she looked at the little dolls.  
  
"Very good." He gave her a small tug on the back of her black hair so she'd look at him again. He opened his eyes and stared down into hers, a playful smile on his face. "So, get your army."  
  
He made the dolls move towards her again. They were getting quite close to the small child. The sun had started to come up and was bathing the room in a warm golden glow. Xaina seemed confused as she stared at the toys moving in her direction. Suddenly, her face brightened. She snagged hold of Booie next to her. She placed him out in front of her and started to growl like a wolf.  
  
"You can't have it," she playfully growled in, what Xellos guessed Xaina thought was, the toy's voice was.  
  
"Ha, you don't scare us!" Xellos played back. He floated down behind the little people and laid on the floor. "We're not afraid of some mangy wolf!"  
  
"You will be!" She lashed out with the toy, knocking over several of Xellos' little people.  
  
Xellos mock laughed. This was actually mildly amusing. "Ah ha ha ha ha. You think such a weak attack can stop us."  
  
A more determined look crossed the girl's face. She grabbed another block and threw it. He could tell she was trying to make something move with just her mind like he was. She growled, partly to be fearsome, partly out of frustration. She concentrated hard on one of the blocks, disparately trying to move it with out touching it. Nothing happened. The dolls got closer. She gave up and grabbed the block, tossing it at Xellos instead of the toys.  
  
"Hey! You're fighting them, not me!" he barked.  
  
"Yeah, but you're controlling them. If I take out the controller, they'll stop," she teased, an evil grin on innocent face. He nearly beamed at her quick thinking, but another block was thrown at him, reminding him that he had not won just yet.  
  
"Oh, well, if that's the case then, attack!" he commanded. The little dolls moved at a faster pace.  
  
This rattled the girl further. She threw another block. She felt something bump into her leg...one of the dolls. "Oh, go bother someone else! Why don't you just go attack him!" she barked. There was a sudden flair in her power that surged into the doll. The little doll about faced and marched right back to one of it's companions and proceeded to bop it on the head a couple of times. Xellos' smile fell. Xaina beamed. "Yeah! You, help him!" she ordered one of the other toys. Small bits of her power flowed into it. This doll proceeded to do the same as the first and turned on the other toys. He felt his control on the other toys slipping. "Ha ha! They're mine now! Attack him!" She pointed at Xellos. All the dolls, well all except the one that had been beaten down quite hard and now was missing a leg, proceeded to turn sharply and head back to Xellos. "Surrender!"  
  
"Never!" he cried. He reached out with his mind for the wolf toy. It suddenly got up and charged all the dolls, knocking many of them over.  
  
"No!" Xaina wailed as she chased after her favorite toy. All of the dolls stopped moving. She grabbed hold of Booie and cradled him in her arms. Xellos instantly let go of his control on the object. She hugged it close, refusing to let go.  
  
Interesting, he thought. She has power. She's a fast learner. That should make some of this easier...the control is going to be hard. He felt a wave of slight distress come over him, and the monster felt a little bad for what he done. He didn't like this. He wasn't use to it. How does she do that? he wondered. "I'm sorry Xaina. I shouldn't have controlled him. He's your's, not mine."  
  
"None of these are your's," she reminded him. "They're Val's. I saw them in his room when I helped Filia put him down for his afternoon nap." She picked up the broken doll and his leg. "I don't think we should play that again. Filia might not like it if they all were broken."  
  
"Oh, she probably hasn't noticed anything's missing. Knowing her, she's probably still worrying about the things I broke."  
  
"You shouldn't brake her things. She worked really hard on those tea cups, ya know."  
  
"I know she did. It makes them all the more fun to brake. You forget, we monsters live off negative emotions like hate and anger, and Filia is full of them." He smiled evilly.  
  
"It's still not nice."  
  
Xellos shrugged. "I do believe you said I wasn't very nice. Do you still think that?" She nodded. "Oh, why's that? I thought I was being nice a minute ago."  
  
"Because you're not. You were just playing, and not very nicely anyway."  
  
"Well, you didn't seem to be playing to nicely when you took my soldiers from me."  
  
"I was only defending myself. You were the one who started it originally. Besides, I wasn't going to hurt you. I was planning on taking you alive."  
  
Xellos stood and walked over next to the girl. "And why were you taking me alive?"  
  
" Ôcause I didn't want to kill you. I was being merciful," she replied.  
  
"How disgustingly compassionate of you." He picked her up and balanced her with one arm. "How Ôbout we find another game to play."  
  
*****  
  
Xaina dashed around one of the bushes in the garden. Xellos was close but not close enough to see her...at least she didn't think he was. The game had started as hide-and-go-seek but had quickly become a game of cat and mouse as the dashed about in the garden. Any fear she had of this place and its few occupants was forgotten for the moment. While part of her was still waiting for something to jump out and grab her, dragging her away, it was much more quite now in the afternoon sun.  
  
The girl had seen only two other monsters on the whole island that Xellos had said were lower servants of Lord Beastmaster's. One, Murikiva, had been in charge of the food. "Monsters don't need to eat," Xellos had explained, "But Lord Beastmaster does enjoy it." The other was a gofer for the monster lord. His name was Wraithand and he was a former servant of Gaav who had begged for safety when Gaav was killed and Gaav's servants were being put to death. Xaina didn't pay them much mind, so long as they left her alone.  
  
"You can run but you can't hide, Xaina," Xellos called.  
  
I can try, she thought. She ran behind a tree. Xellos passed right by her, seeming not to know where the girl was. When he was out of sight, she turned and ran in the direction he had come from. She spotted the tree they were using as base and tapped it, yelling, "Safe!" before running off into the garden again.  
  
Xaina wasn't paying very good attention to where she was going. She didn't really care if she got lost. If she did, she could just sit down and wait. Sooner or later, Xellos always managed to find her. He'd proved this several times already since he brought her there last night...or at least it had been night here. Her foot made contact with something. She suddenly went flying into the ground. She rolled on the ground when she hit. She got a mouthful of dirt and grass. She quickly recovered from the fall, bracing herself halfway up with her hands, spitting out the grass and dirt in her mouth. She shook her head, trying to clear out the shaking feeling she had. She ground twitched slightly under her. She froze. It gave way and she went tumbling down a dirt slope, landing hard on the grass.  
  
"Owe," she moaned as she rubbed her head.  
  
"Are you hurt?" Xaina's head jerked up to see Lord Beastmaster sitting at a small table shaded by an old oak only a few feet away. On the table was a glass of wine and a book she had been reading. There of her wolves were sitting around her. There was a cold look on the woman's face. "Xaina, are you hurt?" she repeated when the girl didn't reply. When the girl still didn't offer any response, she signaled to one of the wolves to go check her. Xaina watched it with suspicious eyes as the wolf trotted up next to her. It leaned down its snout and sniffed her before nudging her. The girl slowly pulled herself up to her feet and dusted herself off, not looking up at Lord Beastmaster. "What were you doing?" the monster lord demanded.  
  
"Playing," the girl shyly replied, staring at the woman's high heal shoes.  
  
"Playing?"  
  
"H-having fun," Xaina nervously explained.  
  
"I know what playing is and tumbling down a hill does not look fun."  
  
"I-it's not..."  
  
"Then I suggest not doing it. Come here." Xaina hesitated but the wolf nudged her forward. Zelas reached down under Xaina's chin and made the child look up at her. She turned the girl's head from side to side gently, examining something, though Xaina knew not what. "Hm," she sighed. "Xaina, did you believe anything I told you last night?"  
  
Xaina hesitated. Part of her didn't, part of her did. She really wasn't sure...but I couldn't tell a powerful monster like Lord Beastmaster no. That would be saying she was a liar, she thought as she remembered some of the manners her mother had taught her. That would make her angry...  
  
"Well?" Zelas asked, losing her patience quickly.  
  
"I don't know," Xaina admitted fearfully.  
  
Lord Beastmaster sighed. She stood and held her hand down. "Come with me." Xaina took the hand, though she was ready to draw it away at any time if the woman tried anything. She lead Xaina to a small pool of almost black gray water. "Look." Xaina peered into the water but didn't see anything other then the bottom. that was lined with gray stones, giving the water its color. She looked up at Zelas, confused. The monster sighed. "Look again, closer, at your reflection."  
  
Xaina let go of Zelas' hand and dropped down on to her knees. She leaned over and peered down at the reflection of her face. Her shadowy hair dangled down around her pale skinned face. She didn't see anything wrong. What's she so up about? She glanced up again. The woman made an impatient gesture with her hand for the girl to keep looking. Xaina shrugged and looked down again. Her hair was getting in her eyes, so she pushed it back behind her ears...her eyes widened and her hands traced up to her ears. She traced over them, confirming what she saw in the reflection. Her human ears were gone, replaced, instead, by a pair of feline-like ears that stuck out. The outsides were black, like her hair, with a soft fur and the insides were a pale pink. "Wha?...how?..."  
  
"Do you believe me now?" the woman asked coldly. Xaina stared up at her with fearful, pleading eyes, demanding knowledge and cursing this woman at the same time. "That is your monster half taking advantage of being set lose. As the spells disappear, you'll develop more into a monster, most likely settling half way between monster and human forms as your most comfortable state...we all have monster forms that we're born as. You'll get use to it."  
  
"I think they're rather becoming," Xellos commented. Both shot their attention to behind them where the trickster priest stood. "Don't you like them, Lord Beastmaster?"  
  
Zelas was caught slightly off guard by his question. She was puzzled for a moment before recollecting herself. "I see nothing wrong with them."  
  
Xellos seemed pleased with the answer. He confidently strolled over to Xaina and picked her up to her feet. "Now then, I think I'm rather bored of this hide-n-seek. Should we try another game?"  
  
"Perhaps one that wont disturb me," Zelas commented dryly as she started back for her table.  
  
"Of course not..." he trailed off as he watched where she was going. "Ah, I have a better idea. How does afternoon tea sound? I already have a tea set."  
  
"No, Val has a tea set. You stole it," Xaina corrected.  
  
"Well if I stole it, then it's mine now, isn't it?" Xellos tried to counter.  
  
"No, it's stolen, not yours. Stealing it doesn't make it yours," Xaina retorted. Zelas chuckled; now she knew why she kept the girl around.  
  
"Oh, never mind. Let's just go have tea."  
  
~*~*~  
  
Xellos laid down a blanket. Normally, he didn't care about sitting in the grass but Xaina had insisted on it. He had to make her happy, after all, those were his orders. She was standing near by, watching him curiously. She had offered to help but he had insisted that she not. When the blanket was laid out flat he sat and stared at her.  
  
"Are you going to sit? You are the one who insisted that we have a blanket."  
  
"There's no tea cups, or plates, or anything," she pointed out. "You didn't bring any."  
  
He flicked his wrist and two tea cups and saucers, a tea pot, a plate with some cookies on it, and plate of small sandwiches appeared on the blanket. Xaina looked amazed. Xellos raised an eyebrow. "You didn't expect me to carry all this out here, now did you."  
  
"I suppose not," Xaina shrugged and sat next to him. "How'd you do that?"  
  
"Easy. I can teach you how to that too, if you'd like," Xellos offered.  
  
"I can't do that," the girl argued, shaking her head.  
  
"Yes you can. You've just never tried before. So long as you know where it is, you can call it to you...can't be alive, magical, or too heavy though. Teleporting those things requires you to be touching them. These are just things from the kitchen, though. They're not hard to move at all."  
  
"If you can't move living things, then how come you moved me when you kidnapped me?"  
  
"I didn't. I made my staff return. You just happened to be attached to it. That staff is part of me, anyway.Now," he flicked his wrist again and all the little people dolls appeared a few feet away. "Try making one of those come to you."  
  
"I don't..."  
  
"Yes, you can. You moved them around this morning when we were playing with the blocks."  
  
"Yeah, but..."  
  
"We'll, try. Just concentrate on moving one from over there to your hand," he insisted. He wasn't about to take no for an answer. He checked the spells, just to be sure they were lose enough that she could move small things. They were, though he pried at them a little more. Never realized how strong they were, he pondered. Then again, if they're that strong and she was breaking them apart without even trying...no wonder Lord Beastmaster wants her.  
  
The girl stared hard at the wooden doll. She obviously had no idea how she was going to move it. Figuring it out was the hardest part of all when it came to learning how to use some of their abilities. Once one did it two or three times and one understood how it was done, it was easy. Watching her reminded him of his own trials with his lessons. He had never been a child, while not like Xaina was now, but he had to learn just as she did. Of course, his lessons had come from Lord Beastmaster and had often involved the tormenting of small, furry creatures. Somehow, when he had been thinking about how to train the girl, the torturing of small animals had not seemed like a good idea. She may have tried to run away from him if he had done that. Xaina concentrated, trying to move them with her mind. None of them even budged. You can't always get it the first time, he mentally reminded himself.  
  
"Alright, alright, that's enough," he sighed, seeing that this was going nowhere. She was only getting frustrated with it.  
  
"Told you I can't," she sighed.  
  
"You can too," he argued, getting annoyed with her pessimism. "You just need practice. Let's try something else...it's easier if it's familiar-what about Booie?"  
  
"What about Ôim?" she demanded suspiciously.  
  
"Do you know where he is?" Xaina nodded. "Good. Think about where he is. Think really hard." Xaina closed her eyes, picturing the place where she had left him. "Can you picture where he is?" She nodded. "Good, good. Now bring him to you."  
  
"How?"  
  
"Just make him come. Think only about making him come. Reach out and grab him. Bring him to you."  
  
She reached out a hand, trying to reach him. Her eyes squinted tighter together. Her mind called to the toy. He could feel a power emanating off of her body. The power was almost unbelievable for someone so young and inexperienced. It was all jumbled around her, not focused or in any sort of order. She desperately needed training. Her control was fragile at best. It was no wonder she couldn't move the dolls. The toy suddenly appeared in the girl's hand. She relaxed her mind and the power flared down slowly.  
  
"I did it!" she cheered.  
  
Xellos nodded. "Yes," he replied thoughtfully.  
  
"Did I do it wrong?"  
  
"No, not at all!" he exclaimed.  
  
Xaina frowned and hugged the toy to her chest. "Then what's wrong?"  
  
"Your power. You need to learn to control it. It would make it easier to learn how to manipulate it if you learned control of it."  
  
"And how do I do that?"  
  
"I'm not sure, really. I've never had to teach it to someone before."  
  
"How'd you learn?"  
  
"I didn't," he confessed. "Like most monsters, I was created so I just always had control. Mine also grew over time. Your's are four years worth of stored away energy that's now breaking lose. You, Xaina," he explained, tapping her gently on the nose, "Are the first monster who's ever been born like all the other species on the planet."  
  
"How come?"  
  
Xellos shrugged. "Don't know. You just are. Other hybrids usually take after their human side."  
  
"Are all hybrids part human?"  
  
"No, they're just the only one's who's parents have let them live long enough for us to find out."  
  
"Oh," she yawned.  
  
Xellos smiled again. "Tired?"  
  
"No," she lied. "Aren't we suppose to be having tea?"  
  
He raised his hand and one of the cups appeared in it. He took a sip of the tea. "We are. You're just not drinking any," he teased. The girl sighed and reached over to pour herself a cup and grab a cookie. "Ah ah ah," he broke in, stopping her. "The little people can do that." He directed his attention to the dolls and the moved forward on to the blanket and started preparing her a cup. One handed her a cookie. Xaina just shook her head and smiled.  
  
*****  
  
Zelas passed her hand over some of the watered down page of her book. So much had been lost over time. Useless, she thought bitterly, taking another sip of her glass. "What is it?" she asked Xellos as she sensed him approach. She didn't have to look to know he was there.  
  
Xellos bowed. "She's asleep..."  
  
"And?"  
  
"And I was curious about a few things involving her training."  
  
"Such as?" She took another sip of her wine, savoring the taste. It was from a very good year.  
  
Xellos paused, trying to think about how to go about phrasing his question. He didn't want to give his master the idea that he didn't know what he was doing with her. "She..has...a lot of...wild power," he carefully phrased.  
  
"And you're not sure how to get it under control?"  
  
"... ...yes," he admitted.  
  
Zelas took another sip of her wine. "Make her contain it."  
  
"How?"  
  
"That is what you need to figure out. Why is she asleep?"  
  
"She's living off of a different time. It's time to sleep right now, according to her." She took another sip of her wine as he explained. "Something on your mind?" he asked after a long pause.  
  
She turned to him for the first time since he had arrived. "It's nothing you need to concern yourself with at the moment. Just make sure she she can do something to impress them...or at least convince them. I don't think I need to remind you how important this is."  
  
"No..."  
  
"Good. Just make sure she is ready for what ever may come from them."  
  
"Yes master." He was about to leave when a thought struck him. "Lord Beastmaster?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Why is it important to keep her here?"  
  
"That does not concern you right now. Now leave; I have work to complete."  
  
Xellos bowed and disappeared. The monster lord sighed. She really didn't want to keep him in the dark like this, but it was necessary. It wasn't that she was afraid he might let something spill out, she knew he wouldn't. Xellos never told her secrets to anyone. She just couldn't have him acting differently around the girl and she knew he would if he knew. "Why does this have to come now?" she sighed to herself. "Hasn't enough happened already in the past few years?"  
  
*****  
  
Xaina rolled over uncomfortably. Her back itched horribly and she couldn't reach to scratch. When she laid on her back, it felt like she was sitting on something, but when examined the spot, nothing was there. Her hand traced over her strange ears. What are they doing to me, she wondered. Can monsters change you into things?  
  
She was in a room Xellos had said was hers, though it wasn't much different then his. The sheets were just white cotton instead of purple silk. There was a window seat that overlooked a small pond with a mournful willow hanging over it instead of a door, though. There was a dresser with a mirror on it right across from the bed. The toys Xellos had "barrowed" from Val were set on a window seat. Xaina doubted that he had any attentions of returning them. There was a closet, but nothing was in there. The bathroom had only the normalities such as a bath, privy, towels, but nothing else. Nothing looked like it had ever been touched, by people or time. It was like everything was just put there for show.  
  
She sat up in the bed. Straight ahead at the mirror. It still looked like her, yet somehow it didn't seem like her. The ears stood out to the sides. She twitched them, though how she wasn't really sure. She had never had them before today...but then again, she had never been able to move things simple by want them to move until today. It was all so confusing. She flopped back down on her back, staring up at the canopy of the four poster bed. She could feel something poking into the base of her spine. It wasn't painful or anything, just annoying. She sat back up and examined the spot for the twentieth time. Nothing. She growled with frustration. She was dead tired but couldn't sleep with so much light and she was uncomfortable.  
  
One hand traced down her back to where she had felt the thing under her...something bulged out from the base of her spine. Curious, and slightly horrified, she reached inside her pants and found something furry and soft. She jumped up and wiggled her pants down just a little and in the mirror spied a black tail! A tail! A real, honest tail! I know I didn't have that before, she thought with alarm. She shook it around. It felt real. She told it to move up and down. It responded just how she told it to. She reached down to Booie with it and tried to pick up the toy. It felt like a lead weight. Alright, can't lift anything. Wonder what it's for then? She slipped her pants all the way off and tugged at the cloth where her tail was until it ripped into a hole big enough for her tail to fit through. Then she slipped them on, sticking her tail out through the hole.  
  
Her ears perked up as she heard footsteps. The footsteps were still far away. She dropped down in the bed and slipped back under the covers, pretending to be asleep. The door creeped open. Someone came in. She cleared her mind, forcing herself to remain still. A pair of hands pulled the sheets up higher on her body, covering her fully. She kept her breathing steady.  
  
"You are an odd little thing," Xellos' voice whispered to her softly. "What makes you so important to her." He sighed and left, never seeming to notice she was awake.  
  
When she was certain he was gone, she sat back up. What's that suppose to mean? she pondered. That's it. I've had enough of this place. Time to get out of here. She stood up and tucked Booie under one arm. She'd seen him teleport. How hard could it be. It wouldn't hurt to try. She hopped off the bed and arranged one of the pillows under the covers to look like she was still there. She glanced at the bell on her wrist. The purple band shone like satin in the little light that came in through the curtains. She slipped it off her wrist and tucked it under the blankets with the pillows.  
  
She then thought back to when she got Booie. Think of what you want, she reminded herself. She focused on the little pottery shop. That's where she wanted to be, with Lina, Gourry, Filia, and Val. Reach out and take it, she heard his voice explaining. But you couldn't take this...go to it! She took a step forward. She felt her body pulled forward, moving and yet not moving in the same instant. There was a drain in the energy she had, like some of it had just been pulled away. Then it was over. All of it had been in a heartbeat. When she opened her eyes, it was dark all around her. She was standing on the counter of Filia's shop. I did it! she mentally cheered. Her ears picked up the sound of talking near by. Lina! She hopped off the counter and ran in the direction she had heard the voices. 


	10. A Quick Visit

Chap 10 - A Quick Visit  
  
"But what does he want with her?" Gourry's familiar voice questioned. Xaina's heart quickened. They were in the kitchen. She stopped at the doorway and stared in. Lina, Gourry, and Filia were sitting at the table. A candle had been placed in the center of the table.  
  
Filia's eyes suddenly shot in her direction. "Ah! Another one!" she screeched grabbing her mace. The mace suddenly went flying for the girl. Xaina hit the floor hard to avoid the weapon and injury, screeching as she did so. She looked up at Filia, her eyes pleading. What had she done wrong?  
  
"What'd I do?" she whimpered.  
  
All three of the adults looked confused. Lina got up and came over. She lifted Xaina up to her feet and examined her up and down. "Xaina? What...what happened?"  
  
"Xaina?" the blonds both chimed in at once.  
  
"Oh, Xaina, I'm so sorry," Filia apologized. "I...I..."  
  
"What happened to her?" Gourry asked. "She didn't have a tail before..."  
  
"Or the ears," Filia pointed out as she picked up her mace.  
  
Xaina suddenly wrapped her arms around Lina's neck and burst into tears. Lina scooped her up and gently rubbed a hand up and down her back. "Shhhh," she cooed, "It's alright now. It's alright."  
  
*****  
  
In had been four hours since she had gone to sleep. How long did human children sleep? He wasn't really sure. Four hours. Had that been enough? Of course it was enough, he thought. She has to get back to training. She is a monster, after all, and monsters don't need sleep.  
  
Xellos teleported into the room. She was still in bed. Let's have a little fun. He called the dolls up and and moved them on to the bed. He made them march up to stand around the sleeping girl.  
  
"Oh Xaina," he called softly. "Wake up." She didn't move. He smiled. Alright, then we'll try a little rougher wake up call. He floated up over her and reached for the covers. "Xaina...Xaina?" He looked down at the pillows under the covers confused. The bracelet he had given her was sitting neatly on top of them. "Now where have you gone." He sighed with frustration, tucked the bracelet in a hidden pocket, and began a thorough search of the room. He turned up no sign of her. "Now, Xaina, we can't start making a habit of this."  
  
He thought back to where she might go without being seen. The garden was the first place to check. He searched the garden rapidly for her, reaching for the bracelet. No, not there. He turned his attention to the rest of the mansion...she wasn't there either. Now he was starting to panic. Where else could she have gone...?  
  
*****  
  
Filia was examining Xaina's back. The dragon woman's cold hands felt strange as she pressed the itching flesh. It did sooth the itching a little, but it made the skin feel almost detached. She looked up at Lina and shrugged.  
  
"I'm not sure what he did," the blond woman admitted. "It's almost like he's turning her into a monster..."  
  
"But don't you have to be reborn for that?" Lina asked.  
  
"I thought so, though maybe not. I don't really know all that much about monster magic."  
  
"He can turn me into a monster?" Xaina asked, looking up at Lina. The sorceress' uncertain frown was not the least bit encouraging. "Oh."  
  
Gourry handed the girl a glass of water he'd gone to get for her. She gulped it down. "What'd Xellos do to you?" he asked when she handed him the cup back.  
  
"Not much," she admitted. "He took me to meet this strange lady who smoked a lot, I know she smoked a lot Ôcause I could smell it on her, an' she was called Lord Beastmaster. Then he took me to his room and told me to go asleep, but I wasn't tired so I just laid there. Then he came back and talked a little, left, and I ran outside and got lost in maze where I saw some strange person with birds who disappeared. Then Xellos chased me with some of Val's little people dolls and took me back to the big scary house where he lives and left me in his room again, Ôcept he locked the doors this time. When he came back, we played with the dolls and blocks and we played hide an' seek, and I saw Lord Beastmaster again who told me Ôbout me ears looking weird." She paused in her explanation to rub her hands over her ears. "The we had tea..."  
  
"You and Beastmaster?" Filia asked horrified.  
  
"No, me an' Xellos. He had the dolls pour the tea. He really likes those dolls. I was kinda tired, so he put in a room and told me to sleep and he'd be back later, and then I found out I had a tail and then I came here. I teleported."  
  
All the adults stared at her rather confused. They exchanged looks. "Maybe he just wanted to play," Gourry innocently suggested.  
  
"I doubt that," Lina sighed. "Though it does seem odd. Here, put your shirt on, Xaina." She handed the girl her shirt back as she pondered what exactly had happened.  
  
"It doesn't make sense. Why would he take her and then play with her?" Filia asked.  
  
"There you are!" Xellos half roared as he appeared right in front of the girl.  
  
Xaina yelped and leaped into Lina's arms. Filia's mace went fling right for him. He disappeared out of harms way. He reappeared just above the dragon and snagged hold of the mace. She held fast to it, refusing to let go as he pulled on it.  
  
"Let go, namagomi!" Filia roared.  
  
"No!" he snapped. "I have been going half way around the world looking for her and I'm not about to let you get in the way."  
  
"You can't have her!" Gourry growled, reaching for his sword.  
  
"Oh, really, don't you think if I wanted to hurt her, I would have done it by now?"  
  
Xaina clutched tightly to Lina. "Don't let him take me. I don't want to go back."  
  
The words stunned Xellos and he let go of the mace, much to Filia's relief. She swung, but he dodged, ending up near the ceiling out of Filia's reach. "You don't want to go?" he asked the girl. She shook her head. "Why? I thought we were being friends."  
  
"What's a filthy monster know about being friends?" Filia hissed.  
  
"Well that's a good question," he quipped. "Xaina, what do you know about being friends?"  
  
"She's not a monster!"  
  
"Then what is she, may I ask?" he demanded in a childish tone. Filia paused, thinking about her response. None came to mind. "Exactly."  
  
"Only because you turned her into one!" the dragon accused.  
  
Xellos frowned. This was getting tiresome. "I didn't turn her into anything."  
  
"Then why didn't she look like this before?" Lina barked. "And if you say that's a secret, you'll never get your hands on her without killing me first!"  
  
He paused, thinking carefully about his answer. He wasn't going anywhere without Xaina and Lina didn't seem to eager to part with her. "I can't tell you," he finely stated.  
  
"Why?" Filia asked suspiciously, gently rapping one hand on her mace.  
  
Xellos smiled mischievously. "That's a secret." She swatted at him with her mace. He avoided it. "You do realize that the little tap you gave me before was just blind luck and you're never going to hit me again," he teased. He couldn't resist. She was just too tempting a target sometimes.  
  
"Filthy monster," she growled in frustration.  
  
Xaina suppressed a giggle, but couldn't keep from smiling. "See, you do like me," the trickster commented before dodging yet another of Filia's attacks. How the little golden dragon avoided braking anything was amazing, to say the least. Even in her little kitchen, there were still millions of things for her to break.  
  
"No I don't!" the child snapped as she buried her face against Lina.  
  
"Liar. I'm the master of secrets and I know when you're keeping one." Xellos pulled the bracelet out and held it up. "By the way, you forgot this."  
  
"I didn't forget it, I left it."  
  
"Oh, why's that?" he asked honestly. "Don't you like it?"  
  
"You spelled it," Xaina answered frankly.  
  
The monster frowned. "What makes you think that?"  
  
Xaina shrugged. "Just felt like you did."  
  
"What do you mean feels like it's spelled?" Lina asked. The whole exchanged had been interesting in her mind, though Gourry looked completely lost.  
  
The girl shrugged again. "Don't know. It just feels different. Like your things. They feel different then most of Gourry's. You told me you put spells in your things, so I figured that's why they felt weird. The bracelet feels weird too."  
  
Lina frowned. "I see." She glared up at Xellos.  
  
"As I said, I didn't turn her into anything," he smirked.  
  
"Did you put a spell on the bracelet?" the red head asked coldly.  
  
"Perhaps." He floated down to the ground and peered at the small girl. He reached out of nowhere and produced two of the dolls.  
  
"Those are Val's, you thief!" Filia snorted.  
  
"I'm just borrowing them," he chided. "I'll return them later." The dragon glared at him but didn't try to attack. He was too close to Lina and Xaina and if she missed...well, let's just say it wouldn't be pretty. "Xaina?" he said very softly. "Can you tell me which one has a spell in it?" He held out the dolls for her inspection.  
  
Xaina hesitated but finally took them. She looked each one carefully over, turning them this way and that. "This one," she concluded holding up the one that looked like a man wearing a green shirt. "You put something on this one."  
  
Lina grabbed the doll and looked it over carefully while balancing the girl in one arm. Then she looked over the other one. She didn't see any difference. She tossed it to Filia, who did the same thing. She sighed and held it back out.  
  
"She's right," Filia remarked. Lina tossed her the other one. "This one isn't."  
  
"Well, that's new," Xellos chirped. "Never seen anyone do that before without using a spell."  
  
"Do what?" Gourry asked.  
  
"Find the spells in something," Lina replied. "I've never heard of anyone being able to do that."  
  
"They can't?" Xaina questioned innocently. Lina shook her head.  
  
Xellos tapped the girl lightly on the shoulder. "Told you."  
  
"Told me what?!" she snapped at him.  
  
"That you were special."  
  
"You said I was a monster!" she retorted.  
  
"And a unique one at that," he replied happily. "Now, will you come back with me?"  
  
"No!"  
  
"Xaina..."  
  
"You tried to buy me like I was a slave!" she barked.  
  
Lina quickly turned a shoulder to the monster. "You tried to buy her?"  
  
"Ah...well..." he nervously stammered rubbing the back of his head. "Maybe once a long time ago."  
  
"A year ago," the girl supplied.  
  
"Better me then someone who would want to hurt you."  
  
"I can take care of myself!"  
  
"Ah yes, by throwing blocks. I remember now," he teased. She turned her nose up to him. "Nice to see your tail's come back in along with your ears. By the way, that itchy spot on you back will be your wings once they finish growing back in a few more hours."  
  
Xaina's feline ears perked up and she looked over Lina's shoulder at him. She had a slightly sour look one face. "You never said I would grow wings!"  
  
"You never asked."  
  
"Back?" Gourry asked. "Did her they go somewhere?" Everyone looked over at the swordsman. "Her tail and wings and ears. You said they came back. Did they go somewhere?"  
  
Xellos thought about this for a minute, the smile falling from his face. "I don't know," he admitted. "They just disappeared." He looked back at Xaina, smiling again. "Perhaps they have their own secrets."  
  
"So she had them before?" Lina asked slyly.  
  
"Uh...well...I...uh..." Xellos stammered. He frowned. He didn't like the way this game was going.  
  
"Uh huh, I see." The sorceress bounced the girl a little higher up in her arms. "And what else don't we know?"  
  
Xellos ignored Lina and instead focused on the girl. She was the one he needed to get on his side. "Xaina, are you sure you want to stay?" She nodded. "You know we wont be able to play out in Lord Beastmaster's garden again like we did earlier, or have tea, and the monsters will be back, right?"  
  
"What monsters?" Lina, Filia, and Gourry demanded in unison.  
  
"Oh, did you forget to mention that to them?" he asked coyly. Xaina blushed and buried her face against Lina. "I guess you did."  
  
"What monsters?" Filia demanded.  
  
"Oh, just all the monsters that happen to be hunting for her," he replied in his usual calm voice. "But, I guess if she's decided to stay here with you, then they're your problem now. They'll be sure to find her now that she's out of the territory of a monster lord. I guess I should be going then..." He turned sharply and disappeared. Filia stared in horror.  
  
"Wait!" the dark haired child cried.  
  
Xellos reappeared, sitting on the table. "Yes?"  
  
"Why d' they want her?" Lina snapped.  
  
"Because she's a monster, of course," he stated as if that explained everything. He relished in the baffled looks they all gave him. He liked it better when no one knew what was going on except him. "All the lords want her."  
  
"That's why we were attacked, isn't it?" Xellos nodded happily.  
  
"And the person with the glowing red staff who tried to take me and the person with the birds was in Beastmaster's garden, isn't it?" Xaina asked shyly.  
  
Xellos hesitated nervously. "Oh, uh, yeah, about that night, sorry if I scared you with the whole glowing staff thing. I get carried away sometimes."  
  
"I noticed," the girl muttered.  
  
"As for the bird person, your guess is as good as mine. Are you still certain you want to stay here? You'll be putting all of them in danger?"  
  
"I can handle a few monsters," Lina snorted. "I DID destroy Hellmaster and Darkstar, after all."  
  
"You had help with Darkstar," he reminded the sorceress, "And it's not just a few monsters. It's all of them."  
  
"Even you?!" Filia barked.  
  
"You really should keep your voice down, Filia. You might wake Val up," he jeered. She growled and held her mace defensively.  
  
"How do I know you don't want me for the exact same thing as all the other monsters?" Xaina inquired.  
  
"You don't and I have no way to prove otherwise to you. You just have to trust me."  
  
Xaina pondered this for a minute. She looked up at Lina, focusing on the woman's red eyes. "I don't really have much of a choice, do I?"  
  
"What!?!" Lina nearly screamed. "Xaina...!!" She was silenced by Xaina as she hugged the woman.  
  
"I'll be back. I promise," the girl sighed. She pulled back and smiled. "At least I can say good bye for now this time." She reached her hands out to Gourry, who picked her up. She gave him a quick hug and a quick baby kiss on the cheek. "We'll watch clouds when I come back, right?"  
  
Gourry gave her one of his innocent smiles. "Of course. We'll have a picnic with sandwiches, and drinks, and basket..."  
  
"Complete with the ants," Lina teased.  
  
Xaina looked over at Filia. "I'll make sure Val's things are returned ASAP. Promise."  
  
Xellos watched patiently, amazed at how compassionate this little girl could be, considering what she was. "Done?" he asked.  
  
The girl sighed again and nodded. "Yeah." She reached out her hands and he took her. "We should..." Xaina's bag suddenly appeared on the end of his staff. "Guess you thought of that."  
  
He smiled. "Of course." Then they disappeared.  
  
"I hope she'll be alright," Filia murmured. "Do you think she really is a monster?" she asked Lina.  
  
The sorceress shrugged disheartedly. "If she is, she doesn't act like any I've every met." 


	11. Final Decisions

Chap 11 - Final Decisions  
  
Xaina lay in her bed awake in her pajamas as she thought about what was coming. It was still light out, but the sun would be going down soon. Xellos had left her to sleep for the rest of the afternoon when they got back. The girl had slept a little, but now she was wide awake. She rolled on to her other side and noticed the bracelet sitting there. She reached out and grabbed it, looking closely at it. He never did tell me what spell he put on it, she recalled. She shook it, making the bell ring. It was a soft sound. Kind of nice, Xaina thought.  
  
"I originally made that for your tail when you were a baby," a familiar voice explained.  
  
Xaina jumped, dropping it. It made no sound as it bounced on the bed sheet. "Stop doing that!" she yelled.  
  
"Sorry," Xellos apologized as he reached over her and picked it up. He sat on the bed beside her and looked it over, or pretended to anyway. "It only rings when you want it to." The girl sat up. She was clutching Booie. "You don't go very far without that toy, do you." She shook her head. "Should spell that."  
  
"Speaking of spells, what did you put on the bracelet?"  
  
"Tracking spell of my own design. That way, I could find you where ever you went. Your mother wouldn't let you have it, though. She said she didn't want you having anything to do with the monster race, even if you did favor that side of yourself."  
  
"Is that when you put the suppression spells on me?"  
  
He nodded. "I thought it'd be best if she intended on raising you to be human."  
  
"Why did you look over me when I was a baby?" she asked frankly.  
  
Xellos sighed. "Long story, really. I'll explain when you're a little older. For now, let's just say I owed a debt to someone."  
  
"And I'm part of the repayment?"  
  
"Something like that." He ruffled a little of her hair. "Enough with that. Are you well rested now?"  
  
She shrugged and smoothed out her hair. "I guess. Why?"  
  
A big grin spread across his face. "Because, you have more training to do."  
  
"Great," she sarcastically sighed.  
  
Xellos just grinned innocently and scooped her up in his arms. "Now, let's see...what do we need to do first...?"  
  
"Get dressed," she interrupted. "And a bath would be good."  
  
"Ah, yes a change in clothing would probably be best...unless you would like to train in your pajamas. It's fine with me if you do."  
  
"It's not with me. My clothes should be in...my...bag...where is it?" she demanded when she noticed that her things were nowhere in sight.  
  
"I put them away while you were sleeping," the trickster happily explained. He walked over to the closet and pushed open the door. If Xaina had been expecting anything, it was not what she saw; the walk in closet was full of all sorts of clothes. There was everything from a little pink dress to a dozen cloaks and a plain white blouse. There was several different pairs of shoes that were all as widely varied as the clothes.  
  
"Let me guess, you did this while I was sleeping too," the girl blurted out skeptically.  
  
Xellos continued to smile and nodded. "Yep. Made it all out myself..."  
  
"Liar!" a voice retorted. Xellos leaned back so both he and Xaina could see the speaker: a lesser monster. The monster leaning in the doorway to the hall was the cook Lord Beastmaster kept. She was the average height of a human woman with long dark green hair that went all the way down her back. She looked almost human except for a pair of elf-ish ears and a set of furry clawed paws instead of hands and feet. She gave Xellos a coy smile as her sable eyes bore into him. "You did not." Xellos frowned. "He doesn't know the first thing about little girl clothes. Everyone else designed and made them." She pushed some of the long hair behind one of her ears. "Isn't that right, Xellos."  
  
Xellos glared at Murkivra. "Don't you have a dinner to make or something?"  
  
The lesser monster shrugged. "Already done. It just needs to cook for another two hours. In the mean time, I thought I might come meet our newest resident." She smiled at the small girl. "Hello Xaina. Sleep well, or did that bungler wake you up?"  
  
"No, I was already up, thank you. You're Murkivra, right?" Xaina asked.  
  
"Yes, that's me. Sorry I didn't come by to say hi earlier, but I've been really busy. Wraithand's having one of THOSE days and he needed someone to listen to his complaints. Everyone else was smart enough to avoid him, so I was stuck doing it. Are you adjusting well here?" The girl shrugged. "Well, I hope you like it. It can be very nice, especially when the weather is good, like it's been for the past few days."  
  
"We DO have some training to get to," Xellos interrupted, "So, unless you have something important to do here..."  
  
"I should leave? Yes, yes, I thought you'd say that. No, I don't having anything important to do, i just thought you might like help taking care of her since I..."  
  
"I don't need your help," he cut her off.  
  
"Uh-huh, are you sure?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Fine, fine," she shrugged. "But if you decide you do, you know where to find me. By the way, she shoulder was her face before she gets dressed so she doesn't get water all over her clothes." With that said, Murkivra turned and left, closing the door behind her.  
  
He watched her leave and didn't avert his gaze until after he was certain the lesser monster was gone. Then he looked down at Xaina and the little bits of sleep crystals that clung in the corner of her eyes. "Hmph. I hate it when she's right."  
  
He carried her in to the washroom and found a pitcher of warm water already sitting on the sink. Murkivra had planned ahead for this. He poured some in a basin and let her take care of that herself while he headed back to the closet to figure out what she should wear. He personally thought the little black shorts and high cut stomach tank top (suggested by Lord Beastmaster) would be good, but he wasn't sure if she'd like them. She had never showed off that much skin at once before...  
  
"What are they made out of?" Xaina asked. He glanced over his shoulder and found her rubbing her hand over some of the fabric.  
  
"Astral cloth," he replied. "They'll cling to you at all times and conform to fit what ever size you are. Most monsters have clothes made out of it. They don't rip or brake under normal circumstances, and you can make them disappear much easier then normal clothes, so most prefer it. It basically becomes part of your very being if you want it to."  
  
"Are yours made from it?"  
  
"Of course," he smiled. "I designed mine myself." He came across a blue dress Wraithand had insisted be there.  
  
"How do you make them?"  
  
"Very carefully. Murkivra made most of it, though other monsters helped a little."  
  
"How many other monsters live here?"  
  
Xellos thought about this for a moment, then shrugged. "Not sure. Never really counted. Most of them don't stay here for long and some are never seen much."  
  
"Why are some not seen?"  
  
"You sure are curious, aren't you?" he teased as he looked at a blouse and pant set he had designed. He pulled them out. He held them up and turned back to the girl. "What do you think of this, Xaina?"  
  
Xaina had pulled down a strange outfit and was holding it against herself. It was a lose fitting body suit with puff sleeves and pant legs, a black belt and a pull over drape of sturdy white and black fabric. The drape was long and hung down the front and back, ending in a rounded bottom. The sides were only connected at the top over the shoulders but the rest hung loosely. The sides of it ended just as they came over the shoulder blade. It had a hole in the top for her head to fit through with a caller that had a small bell on it. All along the sides, up the shoulders, and around the base of the caller were strips of black fabric following the seams. Down the front of the pull over was a strange pattern of black shapes connected to a line of black that attached to the strip on the rounded bottom. The wrists and ankles had purple cuffs on them with little silver bells on them. He didn't recognize it at all and had no idea where it came from.  
  
"I like this!" she exclaimed with glee.  
  
"You do?" Xaina nodded vigorously. She reached for the buttons on her night shirt. "I'll just give you a little privacy then..."  
  
"Kay." He walked just outside of the closet, closing the door slightly. A moment later, she walked out half dressed with her small wings she had just sprouted only a few hours ago tangled in the fabric. "Um, could you help? I'm stuck," she asked sheepishly.  
  
The older monster kneeled down and untangled her wings, putting them through the holes on the back meant for them. With that done, she skipped back inside and hocked the belt on. Then she grabbed the pull over and slipped her head through the hole. There was a spot in the back that was narrow and fit snugly between her wings. There was a floor length mirror on the inside of the door that she looked herself over with. She loved the outfit. She turned to the side and saw the small wings that looked like they would fit nicely on Booie's back. The fingers were lined with black fur while the webbing was made of white skin. She flapped them. How odd, she thought. They look so...so...odd...  
  
Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a pair of purple boots. She toddled over to them and dropped on the her bottom. She pulled them on and was surprised at how well they fit. Then she remembered what Xellos had said about all the clothing fitting to her size perfectly.  
  
When she came back out, she found Xellos marching the little dolls around the room, not paying any attention. He really does need his own set, she mused. She shook, making all the bells ring to get his attention. He glanced up and smiled. She was wearing the boots he had come up with.  
  
"What do you think?" she asked as she gave a quick pirouette.  
  
Xellos smiled. "You look very nice...but you're missing something."  
  
"What?"  
  
He walked over and snagged the end of her tail. She watched him with great curiosity. He picked up the bracelet again and slipped it on to her tail. It fit perfectly to the shape of her tail. "There. Now it's perfect." She shook her tail, making the bell ring softly.  
  
*****  
  
Xaina was exhausted from the training. They had spent the last day doing nothing but make sure she could do all sorts of little teleporting spells. She was getting quite good at moving things, but preferred to teleport herself; she was far better at moving herself then anything else. She was getting really good at hide and seek too, since now she knew how to just teleport back to safe. This is something that annoyed Xellos (she was getting good at reading emotions too). They often had many games involving the dolls. What Xellos' fascination with them was, she couldn't even begin to guess. It all tired her out though. He had kept her up until the evening that day before so she would adjust to the time change a little, but she still felt worn and out of energy.  
  
She was now lying in bed, too tired to even sleep. She sighed into Booie and closed her eyes, trying to will herself to sleep. It wasn't working. She cleared her mind... ... ... Nope, still awake. She groaned and rolled out of bed, deciding a glass of water might help her just a little bit. She dragged herself into the bathroom, pulling Booie along with her and poured a small cup full from the pitcher sitting in the basin for washing her face in the morning. She gulped in down and set the cup back on the counter, trudging her way back to bed and the elusive hope of sleep.  
  
The girl stopped dead in her tracks as her eyes rested on the bed. Lying at the foot of it was a large black wolf. Its keen golden eyes watched her. There was a small brown spot on the nose of the creature. Syrin, the girl remembered. She was the alpha female of Lord Beastmaster's pack. Syrin rest her head on her paws, but her eyes never left the girl.  
  
"What do you want?" she asked hesitantly. The wolf sighed, but said nothing, not that Xaina had been expecting her to. She was more then aware that even though these wolves were bigger then normal, they were not sentient. "I never said you were welcome here, ya know." Syrin seemed to ignore the girl. Getting a bit impatient, and feeling even more sleep deprived, the girl crossed the room and crawled back into bed. "I don't mind if you stay, just let me sleep, alright?" When the wolf didn't respond, the girl laid back down, trying to fall asleep...  
  
*****  
  
Xellos appeared in the girl's room, hovering just above the bed. Syrin glanced up, sniffed the air, paused, and sighed, laying her head back down to rest. He gave her a weary grin, wondering why she was here. He shrugged. Doesn't really matter, I guess. He turned his attention to the sleeping child.  
  
"You had better be ready for what they will try to do," he whispered in a scolding tone. "I didn't spend all this time guarding you to watch them rip you apart now. I wont forgive you," he ended in a tease. He knew the consequences would be much worse for both him and Xaina if the others tried to kill her as Lord Vereus had. If he failed... He let his mind trail off at the thought. He didn't even want to finish it. He knew he wouldn't be living for much longer if something got out of hand and somehow dying wasn't high on Xellos' list of things to do in the near future, if at all.  
  
There was more going on then he knew, he was sure. Lord Beastmaster knew, but she wasn't giving him even the slightest of hints as to what was really going on. Makes it so much harder when she does that, he bitterly thought. The other lords know, though. They must. There's no other reason why they would be after her if they didn't know something important. But she usually gives me some hints... He sighed, a bit frustrated with the whole situation.  
  
"What I wouldn't give for you to be a baby again. You were so much easier to look after...never going anywhere...no powers...you're more trouble then you're worth sometimes." The girl sighed in her sleep, muttering something. He frowned and pulled the blankets up high over her body, then disappeared.  
  
*****  
  
Xaina nearly leaped out of bed as her violet eyes opened, drawing her out of sleep. The dolls were surrounding her again. Their little beaty black eyes all stared at her. Xellos was floating at the foot of the bed, his usual closed eyed grin watching her. Maybe getting him a set would be a bad idea, she thought. I'll never get use to waking up to that...or him.  
  
"Well, well, look who's finely awake," he teased. He had his staff with him this morning, she noted. Usually he left it behind when she was getting up in the morning.  
  
Xaina moaned. She didn't want to be up yet. "Please make them go away. Can't I sleep just a little longer?"  
  
"No, Ôfraid not. However, there is a nice, steaming hot bath waiting for you, courtesy of Murkivra."  
  
"Kay," she groaned and flopped back down in the bed, pulling the covers over her head. She curled up in a ball, trying to get warm enough to settle back to sleep. There was a soft whooshing sound as the sheets were suddenly ripped off of the bed. The girl was suddenly assaulted with a blast of cold morning air. "Ahh! Don't! Give Ôum back!"  
  
"So you can go back to sleep again?"  
  
"Yes!"  
  
Xellos frowned. "Well, at least you're honest about it." He shrugged and dropped the blankets on the floor. He floated over to her and hung in the air just above the small girl. He flashed her his evil smile. "Xaina, if you don't get up, I'll make you get up, and you don't want to know what I'll do."  
  
Xaina unfolded herself and flopped onto her back, looking up at him. "Actually, I'm rather curious what you'd do. You can't hurt me Ôcause that'll make Lord Beastmaster angry, and I don't think she's a nice person when she's angry. Am I right?"  
  
He frowned again. "No she's not and I'll sick the dolls on you if you don't." The girl smiled mischievously and folded her arms together. "Fine, have it your way." He motioned for the dolls to get up (since he'd knocked them over when he was pulling the sheets off) and marched them all around her. "You sure?" She continued to smile and didn't budge an inch. He sighed and all the dolls leaped for her...and fell onto the bare bed. He watched, amazed at how fast she had teleported out of the way. Xaina's bubbly giggle could be heard from the washroom door. He turned sharply and smiled. "There she is! Get Ôer!" All the dolls pushed themselves up and marched (or in the case of the one with the broken leg, hopped) stiffly in her direction. The girl slammed the door shut, locking them out. Simple doors would hold Xellos back, though. He teleported in the room in front of the girl who had her back pressed up against the door. "Are you ready to wash up now?"  
  
"Fine," she sighed. She skipped over to the bathing pool. It was square, tiled with ivory white squares, black triangles, purple diamonds, and a line of gold just above where the water line rested. It could fit six or seven grownups rather comfortably, she noted. The water looked to be at least four feet deep, which was taller the she was. She stuck one bare toe into the steaming water; it was a little warm, but that was only because her toes were cold. Deciding it was alright, it pulled off her pajamas and walked down the steps. It was hot at first and she edged in slowly. Once she was fully in, sitting on the lowest step so her chin rested just above the water, she sighed contentedly. She closed her eyes, wishing she could sleep here.  
  
"Nice?"  
  
"Yep," she chirped. Something plopped into the water in front of her. She opened her eyes and spied a white piece of cloth slowly sinking in to the water. Right next to her face, Xellos held out a bar of ivory soup.  
  
"Good, wash up. I want you to be squeaking clean..."  
  
"Squeaking?" she asked, giving him a curious look.  
  
"Murkivra said that's the only way I'll know if you're clean," he happily replied.  
  
"Oh...I don't think she meant that literally."  
  
"All the same, do try and squeak," he quipped.  
  
*****  
  
Xaina stacked the blocks up, making another castle. Xellos had been gone when she came out of her bath, leaving no notice as to where he had gone. At first, she had figured he would be back in a moment. When he didn't come back, she started to think maybe he wanted her to go find him...but wouldn't he have said something if he had wanted that? She couldn't really complain; she hadn't exactly been looking forward to more training today. It was tiring, to say the least. He had insisted that was only because she wasn't use to it, but she still didn't want to do more.  
  
Placing the last block to make the wall of her tiny structure, she sighed. She picked up a few of the wooden dolls Xellos had so kindly left behind for her and began placing them all around, inside and out, the castle to make it look like people wondering around. Her feline like ears twitched now and again as she could hear something going on outside. She had known something was going on, but she wasn't sure of what. She had looked out her window, but saw nothing out of the ordinary. They day was sort of foggy, yet warm in an uncomfortable way. She was glad not to be out in the muggy heat, but her curiosity demanded that she see what was going on. She grabbed Booie next to her and smashed down the blocks and people, delighting in watching it fall. She had never had blocks before, though she was putting them on her list of things she'd like. She had started the list when Lord Beastmaster had said she could have anything she wanted that would make her feel more at home here over Lunch the day before. Little wooden dolls like Val's were on the top of her list of things to have.  
  
Her ears twitched again as she picked up the sounds of laughter outside. She leaped to her feet and scampered to the window seat. Pressing her face up against the glass, she searched for some sign of anyone there, but saw no one. This was getting boring. She had to know what was going on. She had to see.  
  
"See something interesting?"  
  
She jumped, flipping around to face the man behind her. Her heart was racing. Her blood ran hot. "Stop that! Stop it, stop it, stopitstopitstopit, STOP IT! I hate when you do that!" she screeched.  
  
Xellos just shrugged and smiled. "I'd think you would be use to that by now..."  
  
"I don't want to get use to it! I want you to stop!"  
  
"Fine fine," he sighed. "I'll try."  
  
"Don't try! Do! Now where have you been!?! I've been waiting her all morning for you to come back!"  
  
"I didn't realize you were my mother now," he retorted, letting the smile fade.  
  
"I'm not, and I feel sorry for her having a child like you anyway."  
  
He shot her a bitter glare. "As a matter of fact, I don't have a mother."  
  
"Then where did you come from?"  
  
"Lord Beastmaster created me."  
  
"Oh..."  
  
"Are you ready to go?"  
  
"Go? Go where?" she asked.  
  
"You'll see..."  
  
*****  
  
Dolphin and Zelas glared at each other from across the round patio table. They both smiled, pretending to be pleasant to each other. It was a game they played well. Dynest and Vereus just sat there listening to the ladies occasionally exchange pointless small talk. Each of the lords had a personal lesser monster with them standing a few feet back from the table. Dynest had a plain, bird-like man. Vereus had a strange monster draped in a black cloak; its gender was anyone's guess. Dolphin's servant was a blue fish woman she probably kept more as a pet then anything else. Zelas had chosen Wraithand to stay near by her. His shadowy form floated just above the ground. To most, he reminded people of the shadow of a legless person wearing a raged cloak. Murkivra stood near by as well to serve drinks to the "guests".  
  
Dolphin took a sip of her wine. "It's quite a good year, isn't it?" she commented dryly.  
  
"I only keep the best," Zelas bragged.  
  
"Yes, well, I have had better, though this is certainly nice."  
  
Zelas twitched slightly. She never like being insulted in her own home. "That's because I only save the best bottles for truly special occasions... such as after I aided in the defeat of Darkstar."  
  
"More like you're little servant boy aided..."  
  
"As he was ordered to," Zelas interrupted. Dynest and Vereus exchanged glances at the petty argument.  
  
"That still doesn't mean you did anything..."  
  
"I'm sure this is probably fascinating and all," Dynest interrupted, "But can we get to the point of why we're here?"  
  
"Where's the girl!" Vereus snapped, slamming one of his human fists on the table. Somehow, his hot tempered personality didn't at all fit the handsome, young, blond human he had taken the form of.  
  
"Yes yes, I'll get to that in a minute," the lord of beasts waved off. "Murkivra, bring out something to eat."  
  
"Yes master," the green haired monster said with a bow and walked back inside.  
  
"And what did you pull her out of?" Dolphin teased when Murkivra had gone.  
  
"A village burned down by dragons. She was rather eager to become a monster, actually. I hadn't intended on keeping her, but she's been far too valuable to let go... not that I would expect you to understand that... given, ya know..."  
  
Dolphin glared evilly as Murkivra reappeared at the door carrying a tray of various hors d'oeuvre. She set it on the table and hastily backed off. Dolphin grunted. "Well, I guess she's better then picking up a traitor..."  
  
"Enough!" Dynest roared. "Can we forget the petty bickering for a just one hour!?!" Both woman folded their arms together and turned up their noses definitely. "I want the girl!"  
  
"Well, you can't have her," Zelas snorted.  
  
"She's right," Dolphin agreed. "If anything, she should go to me."  
  
"Not a chance!" Zelas roared.  
  
"She should be put to death," Vereus calmly stated, taking a sip of his wine. "It's the only way to prevent it from happening."  
  
"You don't know that," the lord of beasts retorted. "I'm the one who has a copy of it..."  
  
"And you could easily be lying to us," Dolphin pointed out.  
  
"What could I possible gain from lying to you?"  
  
"Power over the others," Dynest remarked.  
  
A huge argument soon erupted from three of the monsters. Their voices rang high and clear for all the hear. Several of the lesser monsters exchanged nervous glances. None of the particularly wanted to die that day. Murkivra took another cautious step back. She had no experience as a fighter like the others. Vereus, all the while, sat quietly listening to the other monster lords argue amongst themselves about possession of the girl. He took one of the pastries appetizers and popped it in his mouth.  
  
Vereus coughed, getting the attention of the others. "I must say, Zelas, you have quite a remarkable chief here. These little chocolate things are simple divine. I may have to steal her some time."  
  
"She's not for taking, buying, or borrowing," the hostess remarked hastily. "None of my servants are."  
  
"Really? Then why was Phabrizzo using your precious little general- priest before he was destroyed?" Dolphin asked in a sinister tone.  
  
Zelas glared at her. "Because I owed him a favor and he had right to ask for anything he wanted. He didn't have any servants of his own after all."  
  
The women glared for several long minutes as everyone was quite again. Vereus took another pastry. He seemed to rather enjoy them. He glanced at Murkivra and winked. The green hair woman simply looked away. The blond took another sip of his wine.  
  
"I want the child," Dynest stated, breaking the silence.  
  
"What a shame, because she'll be mine," Dolphin quipped.  
  
"Over my dead body," Zelas growled.  
  
"You know that can be arranged," Dynest grinned.  
  
Vereus set his glass down calmly. "Now, now, we are all servants of Shabranigdu here. This type of mindless bickering will get us nowhere. There are other ways to decide who shall get to claim her and as he wishes with the girl." Everyone turned their gaze to the serene lord, suddenly curious about his purposely. He smiled, looking the picture of innocent beauty. "We all simply battle each other and who ever is left standing claims the girl and everything else within the others' possessions." All the lords glared at him. None of them found this even the slightest bit amusing, let alone a good idea.  
  
"Leave it to you to come up with as stupid an idea as that!" Dynest remarked. "You'd do anything to lay your grubby hands on my secrets."  
  
"Oh please," Dolphin sighed. "No one wants your damned secrets! You don't even have any secrets!"  
  
Dynest leaped to his feet, slamming his fists on the table. Outraged and insulted, he began powering a spell. All the other three monsters pushed back nervously. The lesser monsters' blood ran cold. They all exchanged worried looks.  
  
Murkivra even felt goose bumps boil up her arms. Fearing the worst and getting a sudden bit of boldness, the green haired lesser monster stepped, forward, fumbling for words. "Uh...wait...can't...no...well, um..." All the lords suddenly stared in her direction. Dynest squelched his spell as he glared at the weaker creature who had somehow found the courage to speak up. "Yes, uh, hi. Now, um...well, I maybe just..ah...be a servant and all...but, yeah, I was just think that, um...well...couldn't you just...oh, say...uh...ask her what she wants...if...um...that alright?" The other monsters seemed rather dumb founded by the suggestion. All of the stared at her. Feeling extremely self conscious, Murkivra blushed a deep crimson. "Yeah, see," she hastily continued, "I figured that since she is, well, ya know, the one you're all fighting over, then maybe she should, I guess, have a say in what happens to her, because she's um, not exactly a normal monster and all...ya know?" She bowed her head, looking away to hide her fear, and stepped back. She could shake the strange sinking feeling she had in the pit of her stomach.  
  
"Well, that hardly seems fair," Vereus stated, breaking the long, awkward silence that had hung far too long in the air. "She would already be bias towards here."  
  
"What do you care? You're just going to kill her anyway," Zelas grunted.  
  
"That's besides the point!"  
  
"He's right though," Dolphin agreed. "She would automatically say here because it's all she's seen."  
  
"I highly doubt that," Murkivra snorted in a tone far louder then she had expected to. She quickly turned several new shades of red.  
  
"And what is that suppose to mean?" Zelas demanded.  
  
The cook was silent for a moment as she collected herself. "Actually, she is not all that found of this place. It rather frightens Xaina, and..."  
  
"Xaina?" Dynest interjected.  
  
"Th-that's the girl's name. She isn't all that fond of this place, as I said and all, and she even tried to escape..." All the lords chuckled at this, except Zelas, who seemed rather annoyed with her servant. "But, well, she isn't exactly developed very far in her powers, so she didn't get far, and...I...well I just....that is...I..."  
  
Vereus waved an amused hand at her. "Yes, yes. We get your rather jumbled point. Very well, I see no reason we shouldn't entertain this idea.  
  
*****  
  
"Who wants to see me?" Xaina demanded as Xellos literally pushed her down one of the halls.  
  
"Several monster lords..." Xellos started.  
  
"Several MEAN monster lords who want to take you away and torture you for their own amusement," Murkivra had interrupted. The girl's worried look now changed into horror and she scrambled to get away. Xellos, however, had a firm hold of the girl's tail.  
  
"Why did you do that?" he inquired with a bitter tone in his voice.  
  
Murkivra shrugged. "Just telling her the truth. You ARE the one who told me that honesty is the best policy..."  
  
"WHEN it gets me what I want," he retorted. "And this is NOT what I want."  
  
"You do want her to stay here, don't you?" He nodded. "Well, I just giving her a few subtle hints that she might just be happier here."  
  
"Oh, yes, subtle indeed." He gave her a disapproving glare, to which she only smiled innocently back. He bent down to the terrified girl and forced her to face him. "Now Xaina, look; if you don't go out and speak to them, then they wont give you a chance to stay..."  
  
"Is this why you were training me!?" she snapped, obviously hurt that he had told her nothing about this.  
  
"Yes and no," he replied honestly. "We wanted you prepared enough that you could do something to get away if the other lords tried anything, but you need to be trained anyway so you powers don't get out of control. Xaina, your not a lesser monsters like Murkivra. You're a very powerful one...even more so then me. Once you develop your abilities, you will be as strong as all the people you're about to meet, which is why they all want you. They want to have control over you when you grow up."  
  
"Even you?"  
  
Xellos thought about this for a moment. "I guess so. I haven't really thought about it. Like I said before, you are part of my payment of a dept. I have to make sure that you learn to use your powers and don't let any of the other monster lords control you."  
  
Murkivra raised a questioning eye brow. This was new to her. "A debt? And to whom do you owe this?"  
  
"That's a secret," he teased, much to the cook's displeasure. "Now, Xaina, I need you to go out there and be good. I wont let anything happen to you. I promise." He flicked his wrist and Booie appeared in his hand. "You can even take Booie with you."  
  
"I think I'd rather prefer Lina," she replied.  
  
Xellos chuckled. "I don't think they would like that idea, and let's not get into how Lina would react." He handed her the toy and took one of her hands, forcibly directing her in the direction of where the lords were sitting outside.  
  
"I think Lina would rather like the idea," The girl commented, still pulling back a bit, though not quite as hard.  
  
"Not if she knew I would be around most of the time just to make sure you didn't lose control of those powers I'm letting you have."  
  
"You're not letting me have anything!" she retorted. "I had Ôum before; you just made Ôum hard to use."  
  
Xellos chuckled. "Sometimes I think you are too smart for anyone's own good." Xaina raised a curious eyebrow. "No one can get the better of you easily."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Then that's all the better for her," Murkivra remarked. She reached down and scooped the child up in her arms. "Isn't it?" She twiddled her fingers against the girl's stomach getting an audible laugh from the child. "See, she agrees with me. Now don't be nervous, sweet. Just be honest, listen carefully, and say what ever is on your mind..."  
  
"Uh...that may not be the best of ideas," Xellos interrupted. "You don't want to offend any of them..."  
  
"Oh pish posh," the lesser monster dismissed. "They're all just bluffing out there. I've been watching them since them got here and all they've done is hiss and spit, but nothin' more. Relax, Xellos. She'll be fine just being herself."  
  
Xellos grumbled something but didn't press the point. Murkivra was not someone you could argue with and win in most cases. Murkivra tickled the child a few more times to be sure that she was at least somewhat relaxed when she went to see all those lords.  
  
The smile that had been on Xaina's face suddenly faded as she saw out through the set of huge glass doors Lord Beastmaster with three strange people. One was a young, handsome blond that she instantly distrusted. The second man was a dark haired brunette with a sour look on his face. The third was a blue haired woman with sharp dark eyes. Beastmaster was edgy and dressed in her usual revealing, low cut dress and was sipping a glass of wine. Xaina went stiff all over. She wrapped her arms rather tightly around Murkivra's neck, grabbing hold of the cloth of the lesser monster's shirt in a death grip. Murkivra frowned but carried the child out the doors. Xellos followed close behind, refusing to go far from the girl. Murkivra carefully pried the child from her clothes and set her on the ground, backing away. Xaina's heart raced and her mind went blank. She stared in half horror, knowing what each of them were underneath those lovely shells of people. When the dark haired man reached down touch her, Xaina dashed for the door. She didn't get far, however. Xellos grabbed her and scooped her up in his arms. She struggled desperately to get away, but the trickster had a firm grip on her. He carried her over to the table and set her on top of it. The trays were hastily removed by Murkivra and set elsewhere so that the child could stand there.  
  
"This is it?" the dark haired man griped.  
  
"Yes," Beastmaster responded. "This is her."  
  
The blond took a sip of his wine, watching, with great interest, the frightened girl struggle to get away.  
  
"A bit small, isn't she?" the blue hair woman asked no one in particular. She reached out one slender finger and poked the girl in the stomach. Xaina let out a rather pathetic whimper and snuggled against Xellos' hands. He was still holding her in the center of the table and wouldn't let her go. "Pathetic too."  
  
"She's just a baby," Beastmaster commented. "She's growing much the same way any human does. That is how she was meant to."  
  
The dark haired man leaned in to scrutinize Xaina. She covered her eyes with Booie, begging any god that would listen to take her away from there. She didn't trust them. She didn't like them. She just wanted to go back to her room and play with her blocks and Booie, who she still clung to with both hands. She was poked again but this time in the side. She didn't make a sound, just buried herself against Xellos' hands as much as she could. She began to curl up in a ball with her wings pulled over her shoulders and her tail coiled up around her feet. | "I do have to agree with Dolphin; she is a bit cowardly. Or is this perhaps some sort of ploy to keep her?" the dark haired man demanded.  
  
"Not at all," Beastmaster replied. There was a hint of concern in her voice. "Xaina, dear, please do stop that. It's really not helping us any." Xaina didn't budge, though she did psychically shake when Beastmaster brushed some of the black hair out of Xaina's face. The woman glanced at Xellos impatiently.  
  
Xellos shot Murkivra an evil glare as he pulled Xaina close to him. "It's alright, Xaina," he whispered to her. "No one is going to hurt you. I promise. There's no need to be so frightened. He gently pulled the toy down from her eyes and made her look into his own open eyes. "I gave you my word that I wouldn't let anything happen to you, and I never break my word." He pulled her up so she was standing, though weakly and forced her back in to the center of the table. When he was certain she wouldn't run, he back off a few steps.  
  
Her wings tensed over her shoulders and her tail twined around one leg. All the fur on her tail and wing fingers had puffed out. She clutched the toy for dear life. Each of the lords stared at her which only made her fear worse. She began to study her fingers just to get her mind off of them, but it didn't help any. She felt so helpless and stiff.  
  
"What's her name?" the woman they had called Dolphin demanded.  
  
"Xaina," Beastmaster supplied. She was poked again by the dark haired man. "Would you stop that, Dynest?"  
  
"Not much to look at, is she? I hope this isn't her monster form. Doesn't have much flesh on her, does she," Dynest commented. He grunted out a laugh. "Not feeding her?"  
  
"I do to!" Murkivra snapped. She clapped a hand over her mouth and turned beat red. All the lords looked at her disapprovingly.  
  
"I see your servants have yet to learn their place," Dolphin sneered.  
  
Beastmaster glared back. "At least my servants still have..."  
  
"Oh great," the blond muttered. "We're back here again." Both woman gave him deadly looks, though he seemed to ignore them. "Ladies, if you wouldn't mind, can we save the pointless bickering for later. I do believe we have more important matters before us right now." He gestured towards the girl. He smiled at her and gave a wink. "Hello Xaina. My name is Vereus." He held out a hand, offering to shake. Xaina hesitated but started to reach out.  
  
"He's the one who wants to kill you," Zelas remarked coldly when she saw the girl about to accept his offer friendship. Xaina jumped back, nearly falling off the table, yelping "Eahh!" as she did so. The Lord of Beasts placed a hand behind the girl to keep her from falling off. "Would you like something to eat, Xaina?" Xaina glanced over at Zelas, slightly disturbed. She wasn't the least bit hungry, and she was sure if she ate, she wouldn't keep it down. Beastmaster, however, just smiled and snapped her fingers. Murkivra hastily set the tray with all the sweet pastries on the table. Xaina didn't move; she was rooted to the spot. "While go on," Beastmaster encouraged. "They're quite good." Xaina hesitated, but stepped over to it and picked out a small chocolate covered strawberry. She took a cautious bite and received an approving smile from Zelas. "That's a good girl. See, she eats just fine."  
  
Munching on the strawberry suddenly gave Xaina something to do to ease her tension. She sat carefully in the middle of the table and listened to the chatter going on about her, feeling a little less scared and a little more curious. When she finished with one strawberry, she picked out a second one.  
  
"Alright, s she does," Dynest retorted. "That doesn't change the fact the she's still half starved."  
  
"Well, that's hardly my fault..." Zelas tried to argue.  
  
"It was YOUR servant who was watching over her and suppose to be keeping her safe..." Dolphin chimed in.  
  
"Which I was not aware of. He had never mentioned anything about her to me."  
  
"Oh, so then you don't keep an eye on what your servants do in their time? Even I know what my servants are doing, especially my priests and generals. They never would have kept such a secret from me..."  
  
"He wasn't allowed to say anything," Xaina interrupted. All of the monsters stared at her. A little juice was dripping down on her chin. Xellos waved a hand so that a napkin appeared in front of the girl. She took it and wiped off her chin, but that only spread the juice further on her face.  
  
"Oh, and why not?" Vereus snorted.  
  
"He said he wouldn't to the person who told him to look over me," she happily replied.  
  
Zelas glared at her priest/general. "What person?" she hissed.  
  
"Someone more powerful then all of you and I wasn't about to say no to her," Xellos replied. "I will explain, but I think it would be best for her not to hear what I would have to say." He raised a questioning eyebrow and all the monster seemed to fluster a bit. Xaina had no idea who he was talking about, but they certainly seemed to. "And with all fairness, I did keep my word to her. I never told anyone about her; you all just figured it out on your own."  
  
Dolphin snorted while the two men seemed rather displeased with this new turn in their plans.  
  
"Seems then you can't kill her," Dynest grunted to Vereus, who only sneered.  
  
"Well, then I purpose that I train her," Dolphin stated. Everyone glared at her, silently demanding a reason. "I have trained far more monsters then anyone here..."  
  
"But not any like her," Zelas reminded her.  
  
"Oh, and I suppose you have?" Vereus hissed.  
  
"No, but I have," Xellos responded. The lords glanced at him. "I trained Murkivra there, along with several other humans that have been turned in to monsters. I've already begun training her."  
  
"To do what?" Dynest demanded.  
  
"She can call things to her, as well as teleport and make objects move with her will..."  
  
"Oh, how impressive," Dolphin sighed sarcastically.  
  
"In just two days," Xellos added. This caught the lords' attention. Zelas smiled contentedly like a cat who has just caught a bird. Xaina, if you would...?"  
  
"Wou' wha'?" she asked with a third strawberry half in her mouth.  
  
"Would demonstrate one of your powers."  
  
"Which one?" Mentally she wished he would say teleport so she could get out of there, though she was enjoying the treats.  
  
"Why don't you bring a few of the dolls here," the purple haired trickster suggested.  
  
Xaina sighed and set down her strawberry. "You just want to play with them," she commented as she called out to the dolls and made them come to her. It took a little effort, but she made them move. They appeared over her head and dropped down, clanging on the table.  
  
"She needs improvement," Dynest commented.  
  
"Yes, well, that isn't exactly her strongest ability..." Xellos tried to explain.  
  
"Then what is?" Vereus demanded.  
  
"Teleporting..."  
  
"And what about her specialty?" Dolphin interrupted.  
  
"Well, I don't exactly know that yet..."  
  
"Why not?" Dynest snapped.  
  
"Because she's only had her powers for two days," Zelas responded, taking some of the pressure off her servant, much to his relief. "She hasn't had much time to get use to them yet. They're not even at full capacity..."  
  
"What?" the other three lords cried.  
  
"Her powers haven't fully developed back yet and they will get stronger as she grows older," Xellos supplied. He didn't like the way the three were staring at him.  
  
There was a long silence in the area. Not a bird sang, nor did any trees dare rustle. The breezes didn't even dare to stir up. Xaina stopped eating and watched them. Her eyes darted from monster to monster, interested in what they might be thinking. Her fear from before had been mostly, but not entirely, forgotten.  
  
"Well, I think we know who her teacher should be, much as I hate to admit it," Vereus stated, breaking the silence. He looked down at the girl. "Tell me, Xaina, do you like this servant of Zelas'?"  
  
Xaina shrugged. "I guess so. He's not quite so bad once you get to know him."  
  
"And Zelas, you are happy with her?"  
  
"Uh...ok. Sure, why not?" Xaina replied, not quite sure just what the question had been just that she'd been asked it.  
  
"And you like this island?"  
  
"Yeah. It's not so bad when the sun is out."  
  
The monsters all chuckled at her response. "Well, then, if she likes it here, then she should stay until she has fully developed her powers..."  
  
"Oh, I have a better idea," Dolphin interrupted, smiling evilly at Xellos. "A way for her to learn and never be far from her teacher at the same time..."[pic][pic]-[pic][pic]--ÿÿ 


	12. All's Well That Need's an Ending

Epilogue - All's Well That Need's an Ending  
  
Lina sighed into her tea. She hadn't had much of an appetite lately (of course, she could still put away more in one meal then most people did in a day). She had tried to tell herself many times that she didn't miss Xaina at all, but at the pit of her stomach she did. She still smiled and said she was fine if anyone asked, but she did hurt from it. She sat alone in the kitchen staring at the yellowish liquid in the very fine china cup. Filia had made it.  
  
"It's not like she's dead or anything," she reminded herself outloud. She sighed again. Why is this bothering me so much? she questioned mentally. She was just a kid we found...nothing more then that, right? She glanced around the room. The air seemed so quiet; Filia was working on painting some pottery, Val was down for his nap, and Gourry was out in the back practicing with his sword. She had been gone for a week and everyday, Lina couldn't help but wonder about the girl's fate. I wonder what she's doing. Xellos better not be hurting her.  
  
Filia screeched in the other room. "You put that back!"  
  
"Oh, but it looks so much better up here," Xellos' familiar voice replied. Lina jumped to her feet and dashed into the next room. Xellos was floating near the ceiling with several of Filia's cups around him. "They all really do need better places. You have such a bad eye for this."  
  
"I do not! Put them back, namagomi!" Filia roared.  
  
A familiar giggle caught Lina's attention. "Xellos, stop teasing her," Xaina chided. Lina spotted her sitting on the counter, holding Xellos' staff. She had a big grin on her face. She was dressed very different, with a strange white body suit and a black and white pull over drape thingy.  
  
"Xaina!" the red head cried as she ran up to the girl.  
  
Xaina looked over and smiled. "Oh, hi Lina. Ya miss me?" Lina didn't bother to answer. She grabbed the girl and hugged her close. Xaina lost hold of the staff, but Xellos called it back to himself before it could hit the ground. Xaina giggled, loving the affection. The sight made Xellos slightly sick. Xaina was an odd monster indeed. "I'll take that as a yes."  
  
"Hey, what's going...Xellos? Xaina!" Gourry happily exclaimed when he came in and saw the girl. He trotted over to the Lina and the girl, a big dumb grin on his face.  
  
Xaina waved. "Hi Gourry."  
  
"You came back!"  
  
"Of course I came back. I told you I would. I don't get to stay though. We have other places to go. We just came back to return some things."  
  
"We?" Lina asked suspiciously.  
  
"Xellos an' me. We're kinda stuck with each other until my powers are fully developed. We can't go more then 20 feet away from one another when we're off Wolf Pack Island. It's his punishment for lying to..."  
  
"Xaina!" Xellos snapped. He floated down to the girl and snatched her from Lina. "Here's your first lesson in how to be a good monster: Don't tell people any more then they need to know."  
  
"Why?" the girl asked.  
  
"Because I said so, alright?"  
  
"No, it's not alright. I wanna know why they can't know anything about what you did to..."  
  
"Xaina!" Filia started to giggle. She tried to smother it but couldn't keep it down. Xellos glared at her. "There are some ugly, dumb creatures who would sooner kill you then be friends with you. Take dragons, for example."  
  
Filia immediately stopped laughing. "Namagomi!" she spat. Xellos just smiled.  
  
"But Lina, Gourry, and Filia are not dumb or ugly, and I don't think they'd kill me," Xaina argued. Lina struggled to retain her composer. She was on the verge of tears as she struggled to keep her laughter in. Gourry just smiled.  
  
Xellos sighed, seeing that he would get nowhere with this. "Can we just get this over with?"  
  
"Fine, fine," Xaina sighed back, mocking him. She twiddled her fingers and concentrated until a tea set, a little wooden house, some blocks, and a bunch of little wooden dolls (one missing a leg) appeared on the counter. She then glanced over at Filia, who looked rather shocked. "Xellos borrowed these, so I brought Ôum back. I didn't think you'd like it if we kept them." She waved her hand, and much to the amusement of everyone except Xellos, a small bottle appeared in her hand. She held it out to Gourry. "Here."  
  
He took the bottle and stared at the misty contents, confused. "What is it?"  
  
"Clouds!" Xaina yelled excitedly. "We went up and got some."  
  
"Really?" he asked with a smile. Xaina nodded. "That's great." He held up the bottle to the light, realizing that it did look sort of like clouds, only a lot smaller and clearer.  
  
Xaina chuckled. "Now don't let Ôum out cuz I don't think I could go that high up again. It was kinda scary."  
  
"That all?" Xellos demanded impatiently.  
  
"Yes. Sorry, we gotta go. But I'll see you again. Promise. Bye." Xaina waved as she and Xellos disappeared.  
  
"Bye," Gourry called, waving at where she disappeared.  
  
Until next time, Lina thought and smiled. Xaina'll be alright. I know she will.  
  
Outside, a white bird sat on the window sill and watched the whole scene take place. A gold bird landed next to it, cawed, and flew away. The white bird hopped along the sill until it reached the end, and stopped. It peered back in one last time before taking off and following its golden companion.  
  
The end  
  
Soooo, what'd ya think? Good? Bad? Should I write the next story, which will have great amounts of Amelia and Zelgadiss in it, or should I never write again?  
  
Now, yes, I know, there were questions left unanswered, like who the person with the birds was or what Xellos meant but someone more powerful then the monster lords. Those are answered in another fic, if you were wondering. That's why I need to know if people think I should go on or not. Anyway, I'm rambling. Please review. Even if you have something bad to say, I do enjoy reading people's comments and criticism.  
  
Tealya 


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